Long-acting co-agonists of the glucagon and glp-1 receptors

ABSTRACT

Long-acting co-agonists of the glucagon and GLP-1 receptors are described.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/246,652 filed Oct. 27, 2015 and which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.

REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING SUBMITTED ELECTRONICALLY

The sequence listing of the present application is submitted electronically via EFS-Web as an ASCII formatted sequence listing with a file name “24198WOPCTSEQ.txt”, creation date of Oct. 5, 2016, and a size of 70 Kb. This sequence listing submitted via EFS-Web is part of the specification and is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION (1) Field of the Invention

The present invention is related to long-acting co-agonist peptides of the glucagon and GLP-1 receptors.

(2) Description of Related Art

Pre-proglucagon is a 158 amino acid precursor polypeptide that is processed in different tissues to form a number of different proglucagon-derived peptides, including glucagon, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), glucagon-like peptide-2 (GLP-2) and oxyntomodulin (OXM), that are involved in a wide variety of physiological functions, including glucose homeostasis, insulin secretion, gastric emptying, and intestinal growth, as well as the regulation of food intake. Glucagon is a 29-amino acid peptide that corresponds to amino acids 33 through 61 of pre-proglucagon, while GLP-1 is produced as a 37-amino acid peptide that corresponds to amino acids 72 through 108 of pre-proglucagon. GLP-1 (7-36) amide or GLP-1 (7-37) acid are biologically potent forms of GLP-1, that demonstrate essentially equivalent activity at the GLP-1 receptor.

During hypoglycemia, when blood glucose levels drop below normal, glucagon signals the liver to break down glycogen and release glucose, causing blood glucose levels to rise toward a normal level. Hypoglycemia is a common side effect of insulin therapy in patients with hyperglycemia (elevated blood glucose levels) due to diabetes. Thus, glucagon's most recognized role in glucose regulation is to counteract the action of insulin and maintain blood glucose levels.

GLP-1 has different biological activities compared to glucagon. Its actions include stimulation of insulin synthesis and secretion, inhibition of glucagon secretion, and inhibition of food intake. GLP-1 has been shown to reduce hyperglycemia in diabetics. Exendin-4, a peptide from lizard venom that shares about 50% amino acid identity with GLP-1, activates the GLP-1 receptor and likewise has been shown to reduce hyperglycemia in diabetics. There is also evidence that GLP-1 and exendin-4 may reduce food intake and promote weight loss, an effect that would be beneficial not only for diabetics but also for patients suffering from obesity. Patients with obesity have a higher risk of diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, cardiovascular disease, and musculoskeletal diseases.

Glucagon is a peptide hormone structurally related to GLP-1 that is well recognized for its acute ability to increase blood glucose through stimulation of glycogenolysis and gluconeogenesis (Jiang & Zhang, Am. J. Physio.l Endocrinol. Metab. 284: E671-E678 (2003)). Of lesser appreciation are the chronic effects of glucagon pharmacology characterized by increases in thermogenesis, satiety, lipolysis, fatty acid oxidation, and ketogenesis (Habegger et al., Nat. Rev. Endocrinol. 6: 689-697 (2010)). Repeated administration of glucagon was first reported decades ago to yield improvements in rodent metabolism, accompanied with lower body weight (Salter, Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 8: 535-539 (1960)). Nonetheless, the inherent risk of hyperglycemia, especially in insulinresistant states such T2DM, has complicated the translation of these observations to human study.

The hormone oxyntomodulin (OXM, glucagon-37) is a posttranslational product of preproglucagon processing in the intestine and central nervous system (CNS) and is secreted from L-cells in the gut in response to food intake. Discovered in 1983, OXM has been implicated in the regulation of food intake and energy expenditure (Jarrouse et al., Endocrinol. 115: 102-105 (1984); Schjoldager et al., Eur. J. Clin. Invest., 18: 499-503 (1988)). Central or peripheral administration of OXM in rats causes a decrease in short term food intake with minimal effects on gastric emptying (Dakin et al. Endocrinology, 142: 4244-4250 (2001), Dakin et al. Endocrinology, 145: 2687-2695 (2004)). Repeated intracerebroventricular administration of OXM in rats results in elevated core temperatures and reduced weight gain compared to pair-fed animals, suggesting effects on both caloric intake and energy expenditure (Dakin et al. Am. J. Physiol. Endocrinol. Metab., 283: E1173-E1177 (2002)).

In related studies, peripheral administration of OXM dose-dependently inhibited both fast-induced and dark phase food intake, but unlike GLP-1, had no effect on gastric emptying. OXM also reduced levels of fasting ghrelin and increased c-fos immunoreactivity, in the arcuate nucleus (ARC). Repeated seven-day IP administration of OXM caused a reduction in the rate of body weight gain and adiposity in rats (See Dakin et al. Endocrinology, 145: 2687-2695 (2004)).

Studies of OXM action in mice have demonstrated that although OXM can activate both the glucagon (GCG) and the GLP-1 receptors, the anorectic actions of OXM require only the GLP-1 receptor, as icy OXM inhibits food intake in glucagon receptor knockout mice. However, the anorectic effects of OXM are completely absent in GLP-1 receptor knockout mice. Furthermore, exendin-4, but not OXM, regulates energy expenditure in mice. Hence, OXM appears to be a weak agonist at the GLP-1 receptor, when used in pharmacological concentrations (See Baggio et al., Gastroenterol. 127: 546-58 (2004)). OXM was also found to ameliorate glucose intolerance in mice fed a high fat diet (Dakin et al., Am. J. Physiol. Endocrinol. Metab. 294: E142-E147 (2008) and increase the intrinsic heart rate in mice independent of the GLP-1 receptor (Sowden et al., Am. J. Physiol. Regul. Integr. Comp. Physiol. 292: R962-R970 (2007). OXM has also been shown to differentially affect GLP-1 receptor beta-arrestin recruitment and signaling through Galpha (Jorgensen et al., J. Pharma. Exp. Therapeut. 322: 148-154 (2007)) and to differentially affect hypothalamic neuronal activation following peripheral injection of OXM (Choudhri et al., Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 350: 298-306 (2006)).

In humans, a single 90 minute intravenous infusion of OXM in normal weight healthy subjects reduced hunger scores and food intake at a buffet meal by about 19%. Cumulative twelve-hour caloric intake was reduced by about 11% with no reports of nausea or changes in food palatability (Cohen et al., J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., 88: 4696-4701 (2003); Lykkegaard et al., ADA Scientific Sessions, Abstract #1506-P (2003)). More recently, pre-prandial injections of OXM over a four-week period in obese healthy volunteers (BMI about 33) led to a significant reduction of caloric intake on the first day of treatment (about 25%) that was maintained over the course of the study (35% reduction after four weeks) (Wynne et al., Diabetes 54: 2390-2395 (2005)). Robust weight loss was observed at the end of the study in treated subjects (1.9%, placebo-corrected). Plasma levels of OXM were similar to that observed in the infusion study (peak concentration about 950 pM). The absence of any tachyphylaxis and a low incidence of mild and transient nausea (about 3%) despite the relatively high doses necessitated by the poor in vivo stability of OXM (plasma t1/2<12 minutes) renders this hormone one of the few obesity targets with both human validation and an attractive tolerability profile.

OXM has a very short half-life and is rapidly inactivated by the cell surface dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP-IV) (Zhu et al., J. Biol. Chem. 278: 22418-22423 (2002). However, DPP-IV inhibitors are weight-neutral in the clinic, suggesting that supraphysiological levels of OXM (900-1000 pM) may be required to achieve weight loss in humans. OXM peptide analogs for inducing weight loss in humans have been the object of Published International Application Nos. WO03/022304, WO2004/062685, WO2006/134340, and WO2010/096052.

Recently, two independent and simultaneous papers reported the use of relatively balanced GLP-1 receptor/GCG receptor co-agonists as being of enhanced efficacy and safety relative to pure GLP1R agonists in the treatment of rodent obesity, with simultaneous improvement in glycemic control (Day et al., Nat. Chem. Biol. 5: 749-757 (2009); Pocai eta al., Diabetes 58: 2258-2266 (2009)). Of related significance is work with oxyntomodulin (OXM), an endogenous precursor to glucagon, which is secreted postprandially by L-cells of the jejuno-ileum together with GLP-1 (Hoist, Regul. Pept. 93: 45-51 (2000); Drucker, Nat. Clin. Pract. Endocrinol. Metab. 1: 22-31 (2005).

Glucagon peptide analogs and derivatives modified to have various degrees of activity at the GLP-1 receptor and GCG receptor have been disclosed in Published International Application Nos. WO2008/1010017, WO2009/155258, WO2011/075393, WO2012/177444, and WO2012/177443. Some of the disclosed glucagon peptide analogs were reported therein to have activity at both the GLP-1 receptor and GCG receptor; however, there remains a need for co-agonist peptides that have activity or potency at the GLP-1 receptor and GCG receptor.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides peptides or co-agonist peptides of the glucagon (GCG) receptor and the glucagon-like protein 1 (GLP-1) receptor that have a long-acting profile comprising a prolonged blood serum half-life. The peptides or co-agonist peptides may have a blood serum half-life of at least one day, two days, three days, four days, five days, six days, or seven days. The co-agonist peptides further comprise modifications that control the relative activity at the GLP-1 receptor verses the glucagon receptor. Thus, yet another aspect of the invention provides peptides or co-agonist peptides that have higher activity at the glucagon receptor versus the GLP-1 receptor, peptides or co-agonist peptides that have approximately equivalent activity at both receptors, and peptides or co-agonist peptides that have higher activity at the GLP-1 receptor versus the glucagon receptor. The latter category of peptides or co-agonist peptides may be engineered to exhibit little or no activity at the glucagon receptor, and yet retain ability to activate the GLP-1 receptor with the same or better potency than native GLP-1. Any of these analogs may also include modifications that confer enhanced biophysical stability and/or aqueous solubility. The peptides or co-agonist peptides herein are useful for the treatment of metabolic diseases or disorders, such as but not limited to, diabetes (e.g., type 1 diabetes, Type 2 diabetes, or gestational diabetes), non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), and/or obesity.

Thus, the present invention provides a peptide or co-agonist peptide comprising the formula

(SEQ ID NO: 50) HX²QGTFTSX⁹X¹⁰SX¹²YX¹⁴DX¹⁶RAAX²⁰X²¹X²²VX²⁴WLX²⁷X²⁸TX³⁰-NH₂ Wherein X² is aminoisobutyric acid (aib) or D-Ser or alpha-Methyl-L-Serine (alpha-MS); X⁹ is Asp or alpha-Methyl-L-Aspartic acid (alpha-MD); X¹⁰ is Lys conjugated to a fatty diacid or p-aminomethyl-L-phenylalanine (pAF) conjugated to a fatty diacid or Tyr; X¹² is Lys conjugated to a fatty diacid, pAF conjugated to a fatty diacid, Lys, or βc; X¹⁴ is Leu or alpha-L-Leucine (alpha-ML); X¹⁶ is aib, Ala, or Glu; X²⁰ is Lys is conjugated to a fatty diacid, pAF conjugated to a fatty diacid, or Gln; X²¹ is Lys conjugated to a fatty diacid or pAF conjugated to a fatty diacid, Asp, or alpha-MD; X²² is Phe or alpha-Methyl-L-phenylalanine (alpha-MF); X²⁴ is Gln or βc or Lys conjugated to a fatty diacid or pAF conjugated to a fatty diacid; X²⁷ is L-Met sulphone or Leucine; X²⁸ is Asp, or alpha-MD, or alpha-Methyl-L-Tryptophan (alpha-MW), Lys, or Ala, or Lys conjugated to a fatty diacid, or pAF conjugated to a fatty diacid; and X³⁰ is Lys linked at the C-terminus to gamma-Glu when X²⁷ is Leu and X²⁸ is Ala; with the proviso that for each co-agonist peptide, only one of X¹⁰, X¹², X²⁰, X²¹, X²⁴, or X²⁸ is conjugated to a fatty diacid.

In particular aspects, the fatty diacid comprises a C14, C15, C16, C17, C18, C19, or C20 fatty diacid. In a further aspect, the fatty diacid comprises a C14 fatty acid.

In particular aspects, the peptide or co-agonist peptide comprises the fatty diacid conjugated to the Lys or pAF via a gamma-Glu, gamma-Glu linker.

In particular aspects, the peptide or co-agonist peptide comprises the fatty diacid conjugated to the Lys or pAF via a PEG₂PEG₂-gamma-Glu linker wherein PEG₂ is κ-amino-3,6-dioxaoctanoic acid.

In particular aspects, the peptide or co-agonist peptide comprises at X¹⁰ the pAF conjugated to a fatty diacid or a Lys conjugated to a fatty diacid.

In particular aspects, the peptide or co-agonist peptide comprises at X¹² the pAF conjugated to a fatty diacid or a Lys conjugated to a fatty diacid.

In particular aspects, the peptide or co-agonist peptide comprises at X²⁰ the pAF conjugated to a fatty diacid or a Lys conjugated to a fatty diacid.

In particular aspects, the peptide or co-agonist peptide comprises at X²¹ the pAF conjugated to a fatty diacid or a Lys conjugated to a fatty diacid.

In particular aspects, the peptide or co-agonist peptide comprises at X²⁴ the pAF conjugated to a fatty diacid or a Lys conjugated to a fatty diacid.

In a further embodiment, the present invention provides a peptide or co-agonist peptide analog selected from TP340, TP342, TP344, TP369, TP370, TP371, TP372, TP378, TP379, TP380, TP382, TP383, TP384, TP403, TP404, TP406, TP407, TP408, TP409, TP410, TP413, TP416, TP417, TP418, TP419, TP422, TP423, TP424, TP440, TP441, TP442, TP443, TP458, TP461, TP467, TP470, TP472, TP473, TP474, TP475, TP476, TP477, TP491, TP492, TP493, TP494, TP495, TP496, TP560, TP575, TP564, TP598, TP608, TP655, TP654, TP628, TP609, TP597, TP604, TP630, and TP640.

The present invention further provides a composition comprising one or more of any one of the aforementioned peptides or co-agonist peptides and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier and/or pharmaceutically acceptable salt.

The present invention further provides a method for treating a patient for a metabolic disease or disorder comprising administering the patient an effective amount of any one or more of the aforementioned peptides or co-agonist peptides to treat the metabolic disease or disorder in the patient.

The present invention further provides method for treating a patient for a metabolic disease or disorder comprising administering the patient an effective amount of a composition comprising any one or more of the peptides or co-agonist peptides to treat the metabolic disease or disorder in the patient.

In particular aspects, the metabolic disease or disorder is diabetes, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), or obesity. In particular aspects, the diabetes is Type I diabetes, Type II diabetes, or gestational diabetes. In particular aspects, the patient has more than one metabolic disease or disorder, for example, diabetes and NASH, NAFLD, or obesity; obesity and NASH or NAFLD; diabetes, NASH, and obesity; diabetes, NAFLD, and obesity; or diabetes and obesity.

The present invention further provides for the use of any one of the aforementioned peptides or co-agonist peptides for manufacture of a medicament for the treatment of a metabolic disease or disorder.

The present invention further provides for the use of any one of the aforementioned peptides or co-agonist peptides or compositions for manufacture of a medicament for the treatment of a metabolic disease or disorder.

In particular aspects, the metabolic disease or disorder is diabetes, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), or obesity. In particular aspects, the diabetes is Type I diabetes, Type II diabetes, or gestational diabetes. In particular aspects, the medicament is for treatment of more than one metabolic disease or disorder, for example, diabetes and NASH, NAFLD, or obesity; obesity and NASH or NAFLD; diabetes, NASH, and obesity; diabetes, NAFLD, and obesity; or diabetes and obesity.

Further provided is method for treating a metabolic disease or disorder in a patient or individual comprising: administering to the patient or individual an effective amount of any one of the aforementioned compositions comprising a peptide or co-agonist peptide agonist and administering to the patient or individual an effective amount of a composition comprising an insulin or insulin analog to treat the metabolic disease or disorder in the patient or individual.

In particular aspects, the composition comprising the peptide or co-agonist peptide is administered at a time prior to the time the composition comprising the insulin or insulin analog is administered. In another aspect, the composition comprising the insulin or insulin analog is administered at a time prior to the time the composition comprising the co-agonist peptide is administered. In a further still aspect, the composition comprising the co-agonist peptide is administered at the same time as the composition comprising the insulin or insulin analog is administered.

In particular aspects, the insulin analog is insulin detemir, insulin glargine (U100 or U300), insulin levemir, insulin glulisine, insulin degludec, or insulin lispro.

In particular aspects, the metabolic disease or disorder is diabetes, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), or obesity. In particular aspects, the diabetes is Type I diabetes, Type II diabetes, or gestational diabetes. In particular aspects, the patient has more than one metabolic disease or disorder, for example, diabetes and NASH, NAFLD, or obesity; obesity and NASH or NAFLD; diabetes, NASH, and obesity; diabetes, NAFLD, and obesity; or diabetes and obesity.

The present invention further provides a composition comprising any one of the aforementioned peptides or co-agonist peptides; an insulin or insulin analog; and, a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. In particular aspects, the insulin analog is insulin detemir, insulin glargine (U100 or U300), insulin levemir, insulin glulisine, insulin degludec, or insulin lispro.

The present invention further provides for the use of a composition comprising any one of the aforementioned peptides or co-agonist peptides; an insulin or insulin analog; and, a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier for the treatment of a metabolic disease or disorder.

In particular aspects, the metabolic disease or disorder is diabetes, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), or obesity. In further aspects, the diabetes is Type I diabetes, Type II diabetes, or gestational diabetes. The present invention further provides for the use of a composition comprising any one of the aforementioned co-agonist peptides; an insulin or insulin analog; and, a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier for the manufacture of a medicament for the treatment of a metabolic disease or disorder. In particular aspects, the metabolic disease or disorder is diabetes, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), or obesity. In further aspects, the diabetes is Type I diabetes, Type II diabetes, or gestational diabetes.

In particular aspects, the insulin analog is insulin detemir, insulin glargine (U100 or U300), insulin levemir, insulin glulisine, insulin degludec, or insulin lispro.

Definitions

The term “about” as used herein means greater or lesser than the value or range of values stated by 10 percent, but is not intended to designate any value or range of values to only this broader definition. Each value or range of values preceded by the term “about” is also intended to encompass the embodiment of the stated absolute value or range of values.

As used herein, the term “pharmaceutically acceptable carrier” includes any of the standard pharmaceutical carriers, such as a phosphate buffered saline solution, water, emulsions such as an oil/water or water/oil emulsion, and various types of wetting agents. The term also encompasses any of the agents approved by a regulatory agency of the U.S. Federal government or listed in the U.S. Pharmacopeia for use in animals, including humans.

As used herein the term “pharmaceutically acceptable salt” refers to salts of compounds that retain the biological activity of the parent compound, and which are not biologically or otherwise undesirable. Many of the compounds disclosed herein are capable of forming acid and/or base salts by virtue of the presence of amino and/or carboxyl groups or groups similar thereto.

Pharmaceutically acceptable base addition salts can be prepared from inorganic and organic bases. Salts derived from inorganic bases, include by way of example only, sodium, potassium, lithium, ammonium, calcium and magnesium salts. Salts derived from organic bases include, but are not limited to, salts of primary, secondary and tertiary amines.

As used herein, the term “treating” includes prophylaxis of the specific disorder or condition, or alleviation of the symptoms associated with a specific disorder or condition and/or preventing or eliminating said symptoms. For example, as used herein the term “treating diabetes” will refer in general to altering glucose blood levels in the direction of normal levels and may include increasing or decreasing blood glucose levels depending on a given situation.

As used herein an “effective” amount or a “therapeutically effective amount” of a peptide or co-agonist peptide herein refers to a nontoxic but sufficient amount of the peptide to provide the desired effect. For example one desired effect would be the prevention or treatment of hyperglycemia, e.g., as measured by a change in blood glucose level closer to normal, or inducing weight loss/preventing weight gain, e.g., as measured by reduction in body weight, or preventing or reducing an increase in body weight, or normalizing body fat distribution, or reducing food intake. The amount that is “effective” will vary from subject to subject, depending on the age and general condition of the individual, mode of administration, and the like. Thus, it is not always possible to specify an exact “effective amount.” However, an appropriate “effective” amount in any individual case may be determined by one of ordinary skill in the art using routine experimentation.

The term, “parenteral” means not through the alimentary canal but by some other route, e.g., subcutaneous, intramuscular, intraspinal, or intravenous.

As used herein, the term “peptide” encompasses a chain of three or more amino acids and typically less than 100 amino acids, wherein the amino acids are naturally occurring or coded or non-naturally occurring or non-coded amino acids. Non-naturally occurring amino acids refer to amino acids that do not naturally occur in vivo but which, nevertheless, can be incorporated into the peptide structures described herein. “Non-coded” as used herein refers to an amino acid that is not an L-isomer of any of the following 20 amino acids: Ala, Cys, Asp, Glu, Phe, Gly, His, He, Lys, Leu, Met, Asn, Pro, Gin, Arg, Ser, Thr, Val, Trp, Tyr. “Coded” as used herein refers to an amino acid that is an L-isomer of any of the following 20 amino acids: Ala, Cys, Asp, Glu, Phe, Gly, His, He, Lys, Leu, Met, Asn, Pro, Gin, Arg, Ser, Thr, Val, Trp, Tyr. In some embodiments, the peptides and variant peptides described herein are about the same length as SEQ ID NO: 1 (which is 29 amino acids in length), e.g. 25-35 amino acids in length. Exemplary lengths include 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, or 50 amino acids in length. The term further includes peptides wherein one or more amino acids is conjugated to a second molecule via a linker.

Typically, polypeptides and proteins have a polymer length that is greater than that of “peptides.”

Amino acid “modification” refers to an insertion, deletion or substitution of one amino acid with another. In some embodiments, the amino acid substitution or replacement is a conservative amino acid substitution, e.g., a conservative substitution of the amino acid at one or more of positions 2, 5, 7, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 24, 27, 28 or 29. As used herein, the term “conservative amino acid substitution” is the replacement of one amino acid with another amino acid having similar properties, e.g., size, charge, hydrophobicity, hydrophilicity, and/or aromaticity, and includes exchanges within one of the following five groups:

-   I. Small aliphatic, nonpolar or slightly polar residues: -   Ala, Ser, Thr, Pro, Gly; -   II. Polar, negative-charged residues and their amides and esters: -   Asp, Asn, Glu, Gin, cysteic acid and homocysteic acid; -   III. Polar, positive-charged residues: -   His, Arg, Lys; Ornithine (Orn) -   IV. Large, aliphatic, nonpolar residues: -   Met, Leu, He, Val, Cys, Norleucine (Nle), homocysteine -   V. Large, aromatic residues: -   Phe, Tyr, Trp, acetyl phenylalanine

In some embodiments, the amino acid substitution is not a conservative amino acid substitution, e.g., is a non-conservative amino acid substitution.

As used herein the term “charged amino acid” or “charged residue” refers to an amino acid that comprises a side chain that is negative-charged (i.e., de-protonated) or positive-charged (i.e., protonated) in aqueous solution at physiological pH. For example negative-charged amino acids include aspartic acid, glutamic acid, cysteic acid, homocysteic acid, and homoglutamic acid, whereas positive-charged amino acids include arginine, lysine and histidine. Charged amino acids include the charged amino acids among the 20 coded amino acids, as well as atypical or non-naturally occurring or non-coded amino acids.

As used herein the term “acidic amino acid” refers to an amino acid that comprises a second acidic moiety (other than the carboxylic acid of the amino acid), including for example, a carboxylic acid or sulfonic acid group.

As used herein, the term “acylated amino acid” refers to an amino acid comprising an acyl group which is non-native to a naturally-occurring amino acid, regardless of the means by which it is produced (e.g. acylation prior to incorporating the amino acid into a peptide, or acylation after incorporation into a peptide).

As used herein the term “alkylated amino acid” refers to an amino acid comprising an alkyl group which is non-native to a naturally-occurring amino acid, regardless of the means by which it is produced. Accordingly, the acylated amino acids and alkylated amino acids of the present disclosures are non-coded amino acids.

As used herein, the term “selectivity” of a molecule for a first receptor relative to a second receptor refers to the following ratio: EC₅₀ of the molecule at the second receptor divided by the EC₅₀ of the molecule at the first receptor. For example, a molecule that has an EC50 of 1 nM at a first receptor and an EC₅₀ of 100 nM at a second receptor has 100-fold selectivity for the first receptor relative to the second receptor.

As used herein, “glucagon potency” or “potency compared to native glucagon” of a molecule refers to the inverse ratio of the EC₅₀ of the molecule at the glucagon receptor divided by the EC₅₀ of native glucagon at glucagon receptor.

As used herein, “GLP-1 potency” or “potency compared to native GLP-1” of a molecule refers to the inverse ratio of the EC₅₀ of the molecule at GLP-1 receptor divided by the EC₅₀ of native GLP-1 at GLP-1 receptor.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A shows the change in body weight over four days following a single dose of peptide Seq 2, Seq 19, Seq 28, Seq 29, or Seq 33 at day zero compared to liraglutide (lira) and semaglutide (sema). The figure shows that compared to liraglutide and semaglutide, the co-agonist peptides effected a more pronounced and sustained change in body weight over the four day period, in particular the co-agonist peptides Seq 29 and Seq 33.

FIG. 1B shows the change in food intake over four days following a single dose of co-agonist peptide Seq 2, Seq 19, Seq 28, Seq 29, or Seq 33 at day zero compared to liraglutide (lira) and semaglutide (sema). The figure shows that the co-agonist peptides have a more sustained reduction in food intake over the four day period that liraglutide or semiglutide, in particular the co-agonist peptides Seq 29 and Seq 33.

FIG. 1C shows the blood glucose lowering effect over four days following a single dose of co-agonist peptide Seq 2, Seq 19, Seq 28, Seq 29, or Seq 33 at day zero compared to liraglutide (lira) and semaglutide (sema).

FIG. 2 shows the PK results for co-agonist peptides Seq 2, Seq 19, Seq 28, Seq 29, or Seq 33 at day zero compared to liraglutide (lira) and semaglutide (sema) over three days.

FIG. 3A shows the change in body weight over eight days following a single dose of co-agonist peptide Seq 19 at day zero compared to liraglutide (lira) and semaglutide (sema).

FIG. 3B shows the change in food intake over eight days following a single dose at day zero of co-agonist peptide Seq 19 compared to liraglutide (lira) and semaglutide (sema).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides peptides or peptide co-agonists of the glucagon (GCG) receptor and the glucagon-like protein 1 (GLP-1) receptor that have a long-acting profile comprising a prolonged blood serum half-life. The peptides or co-agonist peptides may have a blood serum half-life of at least one day, two days, three days, four days, five days, six days, or seven days. The peptides or co-agonist peptides further comprise modifications that control the relative activity at the GLP-1 receptor verses the glucagon receptor. Thus, yet another aspect of the invention provides peptides or co-agonist peptides that have higher activity at the glucagon receptor versus the GLP-1 receptor, co-agonist peptides that have approximately equivalent activity at both receptors, and peptides or co-agonist peptides that have higher activity at the GLP-1 receptor versus the glucagon receptor. The latter category of peptides or co-agonist peptides may be engineered to exhibit little or no activity at the glucagon receptor, and yet retain ability to activate the GLP-1 receptor with the same or better potency than native GLP-1. Any of these peptides or co-agonist peptides may also include modifications that confer enhanced biophysical stability and/or aqueous solubility. The peptides or co-agonist peptides herein are useful for the treatment of metabolic disorders, such as but not limited to, diabetes (e.g., type 1 diabetes, Type 2 diabetes, or gestational diabetes), non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), and/or obesity.

Thus, the present invention provides a peptide or co-agonist peptide comprising of the formula

(SEQ ID NO: 50) HX²QGTFTSX⁹X¹⁰SX¹²YX¹⁴DX¹⁶RAAX²⁰X²¹X²²VX²⁴WLX²⁷X²⁸TX³⁰-NH₂ Wherein X² is aminoisobutyric acid (aib) or D-Ser or alpha-Methyl-L-Serine (alpha-MS); X⁹ is Asp or alpha-Methyl-L-Aspartic acid (alpha-MD); X¹⁰ is Lys conjugated to a fatty diacid or p-aminomethyl-L-phenylalanine (pAF) conjugated to a fatty diacid or Tyr; X¹² is Lys conjugated to a fatty diacid, pAF conjugated to a fatty diacid, Lys, or βc; X¹⁴ is Leu or alpha-L-Leucine (alpha-ML); X¹⁶ is aib, Ala, or Glu; X²⁰ is Lys is conjugated to a fatty diacid, pAF conjugated to a fatty diacid, or Gln; X²¹ is Lys conjugated to a fatty diacid or pAF conjugated to a fatty diacid, Asp, or alpha-MD; X²² is Phe or alpha-Methyl-L-phenylalanine (alpha-MF); X²⁴ is Gln or βc or Lys conjugated to a fatty diacid or pAF conjugated to a fatty diacid; X²⁷ is L-Met sulphone or Leucine; X²⁸ is Asp, or alpha-MD, or alpha-Methyl-L-Tryptophan (alpha-MW), Lys, or Ala, or Lys conjugated to a fatty diacid, or pAF conjugated to a fatty diacid; and X³⁰ is Lys linked at the C-terminus to gamma-Glu when X²⁷ is Leu and X²⁸ is Ala; with the proviso that for each co-agonist peptide, only one of X¹⁰, X¹², X²⁰, X²¹, X²⁴, or X²⁸ is conjugated to a fatty diacid.

In particular aspects, the fatty diacid comprises a C14, C15, C16, C17, C18, C19, or C20 fatty diacid. In a further aspect, the fatty diacid comprises a C14 fatty acid.

In particular aspects, the peptide or co-agonist peptide comprises the fatty diacid conjugated to the Lys or pAF via a gamma-Glu, gamma-Glu linker whereas in other aspects, the co-agonist peptide comprises the fatty diacid conjugated to the Lys or pAF via a PEG₂PEG₂-gamma-Glu linker wherein PEG₂ is 8-amino-3,6-dioxaoctanoic acid.

In particular aspects, the peptide or co-agonist peptide comprises at X¹⁰ the pAF conjugated to a fatty diacid or a Lys conjugated to a fatty diacid. In particular aspects, the co-agonist peptide comprises at X¹² the pAF conjugated to a fatty diacid or a Lys conjugated to a fatty diacid. In particular aspects, the co-agonist peptide comprises at X²⁰ the pAF conjugated to a fatty diacid or a Lys conjugated to a fatty diacid. In particular aspects, the co-agonist peptide comprises at X²¹ the pAF conjugated to a fatty diacid or a Lys conjugated to a fatty diacid. In particular aspects, the co-agonist peptide comprises at X²⁴ the pAF conjugated to a fatty diacid or a Lys conjugated to a fatty diacid.

In a further embodiment, the present invention provides a peptide or co-agonist peptide comprising the formula

(SEQ ID NO: 51) HX²QGTFTSDX¹⁰SKYLDX¹⁶RAAQDFVQWLX²⁷X²⁸TX³⁰-NH₂ wherein X² is aminoisobutyric acid (aib) or D-Ser; X¹⁰ is Lys conjugated to a C16 or C18 or C20 fatty diacid or p-aminomethyl-L-phenylalanine (pAF) conjugated to a C16 or C18 or C20 fatty diacid; X¹⁶ is aib, Ala, or Glu; X²⁷ is L-Met sulphone or Leucine; X²⁸ is Asp, Lys, or Ala; and X³⁰ is Lys conjugated to gamma-Glu when X²⁷ is Leu and X²⁸ is Ala.

In particular aspects, the peptide or co-agonist peptide comprises at X¹⁰ the pAF conjugated to a C16 or C18 or C20 fatty diacid. In particular aspects, the peptide or co-agonist peptide comprises the fatty diacid conjugated to the Lys or pAF via a gamma-Glu, gamma-Glu linker. In particular aspects, the peptide or co-agonist peptide comprises the fatty diacid conjugated to the Lys or pAF via a PEG₂PEG₂-gamma-Glu linker wherein PEG₂ is 8-amino-3,6-dioxaoctanoic acid.

In a further embodiment, the present invention provides a peptide or co-agonist peptide comprising the formula

(SEQ ID NO: 52) HX²QGTFTSDYSX¹²YLDX¹⁶RAAQDFVQWLX²⁷DT-NH₂ Wherein X² is aminoisobutyric acid (aib) or D-Ser; X¹² is Lys conjugated to a C16 or C18 fatty diacid or p-aminomethyl-L-phenylalanine (pAF) conjugated to a C16 or C18 or C20 fatty diacid; X¹⁶ is aib, Ala, or Glu; and X²⁷ is L-Met sulphone or Leucine.

In particular aspects, the peptide or co-agonist peptide comprises at X¹² the Lys conjugated to a C16 or C18 or C20 fatty diacid. In particular aspects, the peptide or co-agonist peptide comprises at X¹² the pAF conjugated to a C16 or C18 or C20 fatty diacid. In particular aspects, the peptide or co-agonist peptide comprises the fatty diacid conjugated to the Lys or pAF via a PEG₂PEG₂-gamma-Glu linker wherein PEG₂ is 8-amino-3,6-dioxaoctanoic acid.

In a further embodiment, the present invention provides a peptide or co-agonist peptide comprising the formula

(SEQ ID NO: 53) HX²QGTFTSX⁹YSX¹²YX¹⁴DX¹⁶RAAX²⁰X²¹X²²VX²⁴WX²⁶X²⁷X²⁸T-NH₂ wherein X² is aminoisobutyric acid (aib) or D-Ser; X⁹ is Asp or alpha-MD; X¹² is Lys or (1S,2S)-Fmoc-2-aminocyclopentane carboxylic acid (βc); X¹⁴ is Leu or alpha-Methyl-L-Aspartic acid (alpha-MD); X¹⁶ is aib, Ala, or Glu; X²⁰ is Lys conjugated to a C16, C17, C18, C19, or C20 fatty diacid or p-aminomethyl-L-phenylalanine (pAF) conjugated to a C16, C17, C18, C19, or C20 fatty diacid; X²¹ is Asp or alpha-MD; X²² is Phe or alpha-Methyl-L-phenylalanine (alpha-MF); X²⁴ Gln or βc; X²⁷ is L-Met sulphone or Leucine; and X²⁸ is Asp, Lys, or alpha-MD.

In particular aspects, the peptide or co-agonist peptide comprises at X²⁰ the Lys conjugated to a C16 or C18 or C20 fatty diacid. In particular aspects, the peptide or co-agonist peptide comprises at X²⁰ the pAF conjugated to a C16 or C18 or C20 fatty diacid. In particular aspects, the peptide or co-agonist peptide comprises the fatty diacid conjugated to the Lys or pAF via a PEG₂PEG₂-gamma-Glu linker wherein PEG₂ is 8-amino-3,6-dioxaoctanoic acid.

In a further embodiment, the present invention provides a peptide or co-agonist peptide comprising the formula

(SEQ ID NO: 54) HX²QGTFTSDYSKYLDX¹⁶RAAQX²¹FVQWLX²⁷X²⁸TX³⁰-NH₂ wherein X² is aminoisobutyric acid (aib) or D-Ser; X¹⁶ is aib, Ala, or Glu; X²¹ is Lys conjugated to a C16, C17, C18, C19, or C20 fatty diacid or p-aminomethyl-L-phenylalanine (pAF) conjugated to a C16, C17, C18, C19, or C20 fatty diacid; X²⁷ is L-Met sulphone or Leucine; X²⁸ is Asp, Lys, or Ala; and X³⁰ is Lys conjugated to gamma-Glu when X²⁷ is Leu and X²⁸ is Ala.

In particular aspects, the peptide or co-agonist peptide comprises at X²¹ the Lys conjugated to a C16 or C18 or C20 fatty diacid. In particular aspects, the peptide or co-agonist peptide comprises at X²¹ the pAF conjugated to a C16 or C18 or C20 fatty diacid. In particular aspects, the peptide or co-agonist peptide comprises the fatty diacid conjugated to the Lys or pAF via a PEG₂PEG₂-gamma-Glu linker wherein PEG₂ is 8-amino-3,6-dioxaoctanoic acid.

In a further embodiment, the present invention provides a peptide or co-agonist peptide comprising the formula

(SEQ ID NO: 55) HX²QGTFTSDYSKYLDX¹⁶RAAQDFVX²⁴WLX²⁷X²⁸TX³⁰-NH₂ wherein X² is aminoisobutyric acid (aib) or D-Ser; X¹⁶ is aib, Ala, or Glu; X²⁴ is Lys or pAF conjugated to a C16, C17, C18, C19, or C20 fatty diacid; X²⁷ is L-Met sulphone or Leucine; X²⁸ is Asp, Lys, or Ala; and X³⁰ is Lys conjugated to gamma-Glu when X²⁷ is Leu and X²⁸ is Ala.

In particular aspects, the peptide or co-agonist peptide comprises at X²⁴ the pAF or Lys conjugated to a C16 or C18 or C20 fatty diacid. In particular aspects, the peptide or co-agonist peptide comprises the fatty diacid conjugated to the Lys via a PEG₂PEG₂-gamma-Glu linker wherein PEG₂ is 8-amino-3,6-dioxaoctanoic acid.

The present invention further provides a peptide or co-agonist peptide comprising of the formula

(SEQ ID NO: 56) HX²QGTFTSX⁹X¹⁰SX¹²YX¹⁴DX¹⁶RAAX²⁰X²¹X²²VX²⁴WLX²⁷X²⁸TX³⁰-NH₂ Wherein X² is aminoisobutyric acid (aib) or D-Ser; X⁹ is Asp or alpha-Methyl-L-Aspartic acid (alpha-MD); X¹⁰ is Lys conjugated to a fatty diacid; X¹² is Lys conjugated to a fatty diacid, or βc; X¹⁴ is Leu or alpha-MD; X¹⁶ is aib, Ala, or Glu; X²⁰ is Lys is conjugated to a fatty diacid, Asp, or alpha-MD; X²¹ is Lys conjugated to a fatty diacid, Asp, or alpha-MD; X²² is Phe or alpha-Methyl-L-phenylalanine (alpha-MF); X²⁴ is Gln or βc or Lys conjugated to a fatty diacid; X²⁷ is L-Met sulphone or Leucine; X²⁸ is Asp, Lys, or Ala; and X³⁰ is Lys conjugated to gamma-Glu when X²⁷ is Leu and X²⁸ is Ala; with the proviso that for each peptide or co-agonist peptide, only one of X¹⁰, X¹², X²⁰, X²¹, or X²⁴ is conjugated to a fatty diacid.

In particular aspects, the fatty diacid comprises a C14, C15, C16, C17, C18, C19, or C20 fatty diacid. In a further aspect, the fatty diacid comprises a C14 fatty acid.

In particular aspects, the peptide or co-agonist peptide comprises the fatty diacid conjugated to the Lys via a gamma-Glu, gamma-Glu linker whereas in other aspects, the peptide or co-agonist peptide comprises the fatty diacid conjugated to the Lys via a PEG₂PEG₂-gamma-Glu linker wherein PEG₂ is 8-amino-3,6-dioxaoctanoic acid.

In particular aspects, the peptide or co-agonist peptide comprises at X¹⁰ a Lys conjugated to a fatty diacid. In particular aspects, the peptide or co-agonist peptide comprises at X¹² a Lys conjugated to a fatty diacid. In particular aspects, the peptide or co-agonist peptide comprises at X²⁰ a Lys conjugated to a fatty diacid. In particular aspects, the peptide or co-agonist peptide comprises at X²¹ a Lys conjugated to a fatty diacid. In particular aspects, the peptide or co-agonist peptide comprises at X²⁴ a Lys conjugated to a fatty diacid.

In a further embodiment, the present invention provides a peptide or co-agonist peptide comprising the formula

(SEQ ID NO: 57) HX²QGTFTSDX¹⁰SKYLDX¹⁶RAAQDFVQWLX²⁷X²⁸TX³⁰-NH₂ wherein X² is aminoisobutyric acid (aib) or D-Ser; X¹⁰ is Lys conjugated to a C16 or C18 or C20 fatty diacid; X¹⁶ is aib, Ala, or Glu; X²⁷ is L-Met sulphone or Leucine; X²⁸ is Asp, Lys, or Ala; and X³⁰ is Lys conjugated to gamma-Glu when X²⁷ is Leu and X²⁸ is Ala.

In particular aspects, the peptide or co-agonist peptide comprises the fatty diacid conjugated to the Lys via a gamma-Glu, gamma-Glu linker. In particular aspects, the peptide or co-agonist peptide comprises the fatty diacid conjugated to the Lys via a PEG₂PEG₂-gamma-Glu linker wherein PEG₂ is 8-amino-3,6-dioxaoctanoic acid.

In a further embodiment, the present invention provides a peptide or co-agonist peptide comprising the formula

(SEQ ID NO: 58) HX²QGTFTSDYSX¹²YLDX¹⁶RAAQDFVQWLX²⁷DT-NH₂ Wherein X² is aminoisobutyric acid (aib) or D-Ser; X¹² is Lys conjugated to a C16 or C18 or C20 fatty diacid; X¹⁶ is aib, Ala, or Glu; and X²⁷ is L-Met sulphone or Leucine.

In particular aspects, the peptide or co-agonist peptide comprises at X¹² the Lys conjugated to a C16 or C18 or C20 fatty diacid. In particular aspects, the peptide or co-agonist peptide comprises the fatty diacid conjugated to the Lys via a PEG₂PEG₂-gamma-Glu linker wherein PEG₂ is 8-amino-3,6-dioxaoctanoic acid.

In a further embodiment, the present invention provides a peptide or co-agonist peptide comprising the formula

(SEQ ID NO: 59) HX²QGTFTSX⁹YSX¹²YX¹⁴DX¹⁶RAAX²⁰X²¹X²²VX²⁴WX²⁶X²⁷X²⁸T-NH₂ wherein X² is aminoisobutyric acid (aib) or D-Ser; X⁹ is Asp or alpha-MD; X¹² is Lys or (1S,2S)-Fmoc-2-aminocyclopentane carboxylic acid (βc); X¹⁴ is Leu or alpha-Methyl-L-Aspartic acid (alpha-MD); X¹⁶ is aib, Ala, or Glu; X²⁰ is Lys conjugated to a C16, C17, C18, C19, or C20 fatty diacid; X²¹ is Asp or alpha-MD; X²² is Phe or alpha-Methyl-L-phenylalanine (alpha-MF); X²⁴ Gln or βc; X²⁷ is L-Met sulphone or Leucine; and X²⁸ is Asp, Lys, or alpha-MD.

In particular aspects, the peptide or co-agonist peptide comprises at X²⁰ the Lys conjugated to a C16 or C18 or C20 fatty diacid. In particular aspects, the peptide or co-agonist peptide comprises the fatty diacid conjugated to the Lys via a PEG₂PEG₂-gamma-Glu linker wherein PEG₂ is 8-amino-3,6-dioxaoctanoic acid.

In a further embodiment, the present invention provides a peptide or co-agonist peptide comprising the formula

(SEQ ID NO: 60) HX²QGTFTSDYSKYLDX¹⁶RAAQX²¹FVQWLX²⁷X²⁸TX³⁰-NH₂ wherein X² is aminoisobutyric acid (aib) or D-Ser; X¹⁶ is aib, Ala, or Glu; X²¹ is Lys conjugated to a C16, C17, C18, C19, or C20 fatty diacid; X²⁷ is L-Met sulphone or Leucine; X²⁸ is Asp, Lys, or Ala; and X³⁰ is Lys conjugated to gamma-Glu when X²⁷ is Leu and X²⁸ is Ala.

In particular aspects, the peptide or co-agonist peptide comprises at X²¹ the Lys conjugated to a C16 or C18 or C20 fatty diacid. In particular aspects, the peptide or co-agonist peptide comprises the fatty diacid conjugated to the Lys via a PEG₂PEG₂-gamma-Glu linker wherein PEG₂ is 8-amino-3,6-dioxaoctanoic acid.

In a further embodiment, the present invention provides a peptide or co-agonist peptide comprising the formula

(SEQ ID NO: 61) HX²QGTFTSDYSKYLDX¹⁶RAAQDFVX²⁴WLX²⁷X²⁸TX³⁰-NH₂ wherein X² is aminoisobutyric acid (aib) or D-Ser; X¹⁶ is aib, Ala, or Glu; X²⁴ is Lys conjugated to a C16, C17, C18, C19, or C20 fatty diacid; X²⁷ is L-Met sulphone or Leucine; X²⁸ is Asp, Lys, or Ala; and X³⁰ is Lys conjugated to gamma-Glu when X²⁷ is Leu and X²⁸ is Ala.

In particular aspects, the peptide or co-agonist peptide comprises at X²⁴ the Lys conjugated to a C16 or C18 or C20 fatty diacid. In particular aspects, the peptide or co-agonist peptide comprises the fatty diacid conjugated to the Lys via a PEG₂PEG₂-gamma-Glu linker wherein PEG₂ is 8-amino-3,6-dioxaoctanoic acid.

The present invention further provides a peptide or co-agonist peptide comprising of the formula

(SEQ ID NO: 62) HX²QGTFTSX⁹X¹⁰SX¹²YX¹⁴DX¹⁶RAAX²⁰X²¹X²²VX²⁴WLX²⁷X²⁸TX³⁰-NH₂ Wherein X² is aminoisobutyric acid (aib) or D-Ser; X⁹ is Asp or alpha-Methyl-L-Aspartic acid (alpha-MD); X¹⁰ is pAF conjugated to a fatty diacid; X¹² is pAF conjugated to a fatty diacid, or βc; X¹⁴ is Leu or alpha-MD; X¹⁶ is aib, Ala, or Glu; X²⁰ is pAF is conjugated to a fatty diacid, Asp, or alpha-MD; X²¹ is pAF conjugated to a fatty diacid, Asp, or alpha-MD; X²² is Phe or alpha-Methyl-L-phenylalanine (alpha-MF); X²⁴ is Gln or βc or pAF conjugated to a fatty diacid; X²⁷ is L-Met sulphone or Leucine; X²⁸ is Asp, Lys, or Ala; and X³⁰ is pAF conjugated to gamma-Glu when X²⁷ is Leu and X²⁸ is Ala; with the proviso that for each peptide or co-agonist peptide, only one of X¹⁰, X¹², X²⁰, X²¹, or X²⁴ is conjugated to a fatty diacid.

In particular aspects, the fatty diacid comprises a C14, C15, C16, C17, C18, C19, or C20 fatty diacid. In a further aspect, the fatty diacid comprises a C14 fatty acid.

In particular aspects, the peptide or co-agonist peptide comprises the fatty diacid conjugated to the pAF via a gamma-Glu, gamma-Glu linker whereas in other aspects, the peptide or co-agonist peptide comprises the fatty diacid conjugated to the pAF via a PEG₂PEG₂-gamma-Glu linker wherein PEG₂ is 8-amino-3,6-dioxaoctanoic acid.

In particular aspects, the peptide or co-agonist peptide comprises at X¹⁰ a pAF conjugated to a fatty diacid. In particular aspects, the peptide or co-agonist peptide comprises at X¹²a pAF conjugated to a fatty diacid. In particular aspects, the peptide or co-agonist peptide comprises at X²⁰ a pAF conjugated to a fatty diacid. In particular aspects, the peptide or co-agonist peptide comprises at X²¹ a pAF conjugated to a fatty diacid. In particular aspects, the peptide or co-agonist peptide comprises at X²⁴ a pAF conjugated to a fatty diacid.

In a further embodiment, the present invention provides a peptide or co-agonist peptide comprising the formula

(SEQ ID NO: 63) HX²QGTFTSDX¹⁰SKYLDX¹⁶RAAQDFVQWLX²⁷X²⁸TX³⁰-NH₂ wherein X² is aminoisobutyric acid (aib) or D-Ser; X¹⁰ is pAF conjugated to a C16 or C18 or C20 fatty diacid; X¹⁶ is aib, Ala, or Glu; X²⁷ is L-Met sulphone or Leucine; X²⁸ is Asp, Lys, or Ala; and X³⁰ is Lys conjugated to gamma-Glu when X²⁷ is Leu and X²⁸ is Ala.

In particular aspects, the peptide or co-agonist peptide comprises the fatty diacid conjugated to the pAF via a gamma-Glu, gamma-Glu linker. In particular aspects, the peptide or co-agonist peptide comprises the fatty diacid conjugated to the pAF via a PEG₂PEG₂-gamma-Glu linker wherein PEG₂ is 8-amino-3,6-dioxaoctanoic acid.

In a further embodiment, the present invention provides a peptide or co-agonist peptide comprising the formula

(SEQ ID NO: 64) HX²QGTFTSDYSX¹²YLDX¹⁶RAAQDFVQWLX²⁷DT-NH₂ Wherein X² is aminoisobutyric acid (aib) or D-Ser; X¹² is pAF conjugated to a C16 or C18 or C20 fatty diacid; X¹⁶ is aib, Ala, or Glu; and X²⁷ is L-Met sulphone or Leucine.

In particular aspects, the peptide or co-agonist peptide comprises at X¹² the pAF conjugated to a C16 or C18 or C20 fatty diacid. In particular aspects, the peptide or co-agonist peptide comprises the fatty diacid conjugated to the pAF via a PEG₂PEG₂-gamma-Glu linker wherein PEG₂ is 8-amino-3,6-dioxaoctanoic acid.

In a further embodiment, the present invention provides a peptide or co-agonist peptide comprising the formula

(SEQ ID NO: 65) HX²QGTFTSX⁹YSX¹²YX¹⁴DX¹⁶RAAX²⁰X²¹X²²VX²⁴WX²⁶X²⁷X²⁸T-NH₂ wherein X² is aminoisobutyric acid (aib) or D-Ser; X⁹ is Asp or alpha-MD; X¹² is Lys or (1S,2S)-Fmoc-2-aminocyclopentane carboxylic acid (βc); X¹⁴ is Leu or alpha-Methyl-L-Aspartic acid (alpha-MD); X¹⁶ is aib, Ala, or Glu; X²⁰ is pAF conjugated to a C16, C17, C18, C19, or C20 fatty diacid; X²¹ is Asp or alpha-MD; X²² is Phe or alpha-Methyl-L-phenylalanine (alpha-MF); X²⁴ Gln or βc; X²⁷ is L-Met sulphone or Leucine; and X²⁸ is Asp, Lys, or alpha-MD.

In particular aspects, the peptide or co-agonist peptide comprises at X²⁰ the pAF iconjugated to a C16 or C18 or C20 fatty diacid. In particular aspects, the peptide or co-agonist peptide comprises the fatty diacid conjugated to the pAF via a PEG₂PEG₂-gamma-Glu linker wherein PEG₂ is 8-amino-3,6-dioxaoctanoic acid.

In a further embodiment, the present invention provides a peptide or co-agonist peptide comprising the formula

(SEQ ID NO: 66) HX²QGTFTSDYSKYLDX¹⁶RAAQX²¹FVQWLX²⁷X²⁸TX³⁰-NH₂ wherein X² is aminoisobutyric acid (aib) or D-Ser; X¹⁶ is aib, Ala, or Glu; X²¹ is pAF conjugated to a C16, C17, C18, C19, or C20 fatty diacid; X²⁷ is L-Met sulphone or Leucine; X²⁸ is Asp, Lys, or Ala; and X³⁰ is Lys conjugated to gamma-Glu when X²⁷ is Leu and X²⁸ is Ala.

In particular aspects, the peptide or co-agonist peptide comprises at X²¹ the pAF conjugated to a C16 or C18 or C20 fatty diacid. In particular aspects, the peptide or co-agonist peptide comprises the fatty diacid conjugated to the pAF via a PEG₂PEG₂-gamma-Glu linker wherein PEG₂ is 8-amino-3,6-dioxaoctanoic acid.

In a further embodiment, the present invention provides a peptide or co-agonist peptide comprising the formula

(SEQ ID NO: 67) HX²QGTFTSDYSKYLDX¹⁶RAAQDFVX²⁴WLX²⁷X²⁸TX³⁰-NH₂ wherein X² is aminoisobutyric acid (aib) or D-Ser; X¹⁶ is aib, Ala, or Glu; X²⁴ is pAF conjugated to a C16, C17, C18, C19, or C20 fatty diacid; X²⁷ is L-Met sulphone or Leucine; X²⁸ is Asp, Lys, or Ala; and X³⁰ is Lys conjugated to gamma-Glu when X²⁷ is Leu and X²⁸ is Ala.

In particular aspects, the peptide or co-agonist peptide comprises at X²⁴ the pAF conjugated to a C16 or C18 or C20 fatty diacid. In particular aspects, the peptide or co-agonist peptide comprises the fatty diacid conjugated to the pAF via a PEG₂PEG₂-gamma-Glu linker wherein PEG₂ is 8-amino-3,6-dioxaoctanoic acid.

In a further embodiment, the present invention provides a peptide or co-agonist peptide comprising the formula

(SEQ ID NO: 80) HX²QGTFTSDYSKYLDX¹⁶RAAX²⁰X²¹FVX²⁴X²⁵LX²⁷X²⁸T-NH₂ wherein X² is aminoisobutyric acid (aib) or alpha-Methyl-L-Serine (alpha-MS);X¹⁶ is aib or Ala; X²⁰ is Gln or Lys conjugated to a C16, C17, C18, C19, or C20 fatty diacid; X²¹ is Asp or Lys conjugated to a C16, C17, C18, C19, or C20 fatty diacid or p-aminomethyl-L-phenylalanine (pAF) conjugated to a C16, C17, C18, C19, or C20 fatty diacid; X²⁴ is Gln or Lys conjugated to a C16, C17, C18, C19, or C20 fatty diacid; X²⁵ is Trp or alpha-Methyl-L-Tryptophan (alpha-MW); X²⁷ is L-Met sulphone or Leucine; and X²⁸ is Asp or alpha-Methyl-L-Aspartic acid (alpha-MD) or p-aminomethyl-L-phenylalanine (pAF) conjugated to a C16, C17, C18, C19, or C20 fatty diacid, with the proviso that one of X²⁰, X²¹, or X²⁸ is conjugated to the C16, C17, C18, C19, or C20 fatty diacid.

Exemplary peptides or co-agonist peptides of the present invention are shown in Table 1.

TABLE 1 SEQ ID NO. Name Sequence  1 TP340 HsQGTFTSDYSKYLDXRAAQK(PEG₂PEG₂ -γE-C16-OH)FVQWLLATK-γE-NH₂  2 TP342 HsQGTFTSDYSKYLDARAAK(PEG₂PEG₂ -γE-C16-OH)DFVQWLLDT-NH₂  3 TP344 HsQGTFTSDYSKYLDARAAQK(PEG₂PEG₂ -γE-C16-OH)FVQWLLDT-NH₂  4 TP369 HXQGTF TSDK(PEG₂PEG₂ -γE-C18-OH)SKYLDXRAAQDFVQWL2DT-NH₂  5 TP370 HXQGTF TSDYSK(PEG₂PEG₂-γE-C18-OH)YLDXRAAQDFVQWL2DT-NH₂  6 TP371 HsQGTF TSDK(PEG₂PEG₂-γE-C18-OH)SKYLDARAAQDFVQWLLDT-NH₂  7 TP372 HsQGTF TSDYSK(PEG₂PEG₂PEG₂PEG₂-γE-C18-OH)YLDARAAQDFVQWLLDT-NH₂  8 TP378 HXQGTFTSDpAF(PEG₂PEG₂-γE-C16-OH)SKYLDERAAQDFVQWLLKT-NH₂  9 TP379 HsQGTFTSDK(γEγE-C16-OH)SKYLDERAAQDFVQWLLKT-NH₂ 10 TP380 HsQGTFTSDpAF(PEG₂PEG₂-γE-C16-OH)SKYLDERAAQDFVQWLLKT-NH₂ 11 TP382 HXQGTFTSDpAF(PEG₂PEG₂PEG₂PEG₂-γE-C16-OH)SKYLDXRAAQDFVQWLLATK-γE-NH₂ 12 TP383 HXQGTFTSDpAF(PEG₂PEG₂-γE-C16-OH)SKYLDARAAQDFVQWL2DT-NH₂ 13 TP384 HXQGTFTSDpAF(PEG₂PEG₂-γE-C16)SKYLDARAAQDFVQWL2DT-NH₂ 14 TP403 HsQGTFTSDYSKYLDARAAK(PEG₂PEG₂-γE-C16-OH)DFVQWL2DT-NH₂ 15 TP404 HsQGTFTSDYSKYLDARAAQK(PEG₂PEG₂-γE-C16-OH)FVQWL2DT-NH₂ 16 TP406 HsQGTFTSDYSKYLDERAAQK(PEG₂PEG₂-γE-C16-OH)FVQWL2DT-NH₂ 17 TP407 HXQGTFTSDYSKYLDARAAK(PEG₂PEG₂-γE-C16-OH)DFVQWLLDT-NH₂ 18 TP408 HXQGTFTSDYSKYLDARAAQK(PEG₂PEG₂-γE-C16-OH)FVQWLLDT-NH₂ 19 TP409 HXQGTFTSDYSKYLDARAAK(PEG₂PEG₂-γE-C16-OH)DFVQWL2DT-NH₂ 20 TP410 HXQGTFTSDYSKYLDARAAQK(PEG₂PEG₂-γE-C16-OH)FVQWL2DT-NH₂ 21 TP413 HsQGTFTSDYSKYLDARAAQK(PEG₂PEG₂PEG₂PEG₂-γE-C18OH)FVQWLLDT-NH₂ 22 TP416 HsQGTFTSDYSKYLDARAApAF(PEG₂PEG₂-γE-C16-OH)DFVQWLLDT-NH₂ 23 TP417 HsQGTFTSDYSKYLDARAAQpAF(PEG₂PEG₂-γE-C16-OH)FVQWLLDT-NH₂ 24 TP418 HsQGTFTSDYSpAF(PEG₂PEG₂-γE-C16-OH)YLDERAAQDFVQWL2DT-NH₂ 25 TP419 HXQGTFTSDYSpAF(PEG₂PEG₂-γE-C16-OH)YLDXRAAQDFVQWL2DT-NH₂ 26 TP422 HXQGTFTSDYSKYLDERAApAF(PEG₂PEG₂-γE-C16-OH)DFVQWLLKT-NH₂ 27 TP423 HXQGTFTSDYSKYLDERAAQpAF(PEG₂PEG₂-γE-C16-OH)FVQWLLKT-NH₂ 28 TP424 HXQGTFTSDpAF(PEG₂PEG₂-γE-C18-OH)SKYLDARAAQDFVQWL2DT-NH₂ 29 TP440 HXQGTFTSDYSKYLDARAAK(PEG₂PEG₂-γE-C18-OH)DFVQWL2DT-NH₂ 30 TP441 HXQGTFTSDYSKYLDARAAQK(PEG₂PEG₂-γE-C18-OH)FVQWL2DT-NH₂ 31 TP442 HXQGTFTSDYSKYLDARAApAF(PEG₂PEG₂-γE-C18-OH)DFVQWLLDT-NH₂ 32 TP443 HXQGTFTSDYSKYLDARAAQpAF(PEG₂PEG₂-γE-C18-OH)FVQWLLDT-NH₂ 33 TP458 HXQGTFTSDYSKYLDARAAK(PEG₂PEG₂-γE-C18-OH)DFVQWL2αMDT-NH₂ 34 TP461 HXQGTFTSDYSβ^(c)YLDXRAAK(PEG₂PEG₂-γE-C18-OH)DFVβ^(c)WL2DT-NH₂ 35 TP467 HXQGTFTSDYSKYLDARAAK(PEG₂PEG₂PEG₂PEG₂-γE-C18-OH)αMDFVQWL2DT-NH₂ 36 TP470 HXQGTFTSDYSβ^(c)YLDXRAAK(PEG₂PEG₂-γE-C16-OH)DFVβ^(c)WL2DT-NH₂ 37 TP472 HXQGTFTSαMDYSKYLDARAAK(PEG₂PEG₂-γE-C16-OH)DFVQWL2DT-NH₂ 38 TP473 HXQGTFTSDYSKYαMLDARAAK(PEG₂PEG₂-γE-C16-OH)DFVQWL2DT-NH₂ 39 TP474 HXQGTFTSDYSKYLDARAAK(PEG₂PEG₂-γE-C16-OH)DαMFVQWL2DT-NH₂ ₂ 40 TP475 HXQGTFTSDYSKYLDARAAK(PEG₂PEG₂-γE-C16-OH)DFVQWαML2DT-NH₂ 41 TP476 HXQGTFTSDYSKYLDARAAK(PEG₂PEG₂-γE-C16-OH)DFVQWL2αMDT-NH₂ 42 TP477 HXQGTFTSDYSKYLDARAAK(PEG₂PEG₂-γE-C16-OH)αMDFVQWL2DT-NH₂ 43 TP491 HXQGTFTSDYSKYLDARAAK(PEG₂PEG₂-γE-C20-OH)DFVQWL2DT-NH₂ 44 TP492 HXQGTFTSDYSKYLDARAAQK( PEG₂PEG₂-γE-C20-OH)FVQWL2DT-NH₂ 45 TP493 HXQGTFTSDYSKYLDARAAK(PEG₂PEG₂-γE-C19-OH)DFVQWL2DT-NH₂ 46 TP494 HXQGTFTSDYSKYLDARAAQK(PEG₂PEG₂-γE-C19-OH)FVQWL2DT-NH₂ 47 TP495 HXQGTFTSDYSKYLDARAAK(PEG₂PEG₂PEG₂PEG₂-γE-C17-OH)DFVQWL2DT-NH₂ 48 TP496 HXQGTFTSDYSKYLDARAAQK(PEG₂PEG₂-γE-C17-OH)FVQWL2DT-NH₂ 49 TP560 HXQGTFTSDYSKYLDARAAK(PEG₂PEG₂-γE-C14-OH)DFVQWL2DT-NH₂ 68 TP575 HXQGTFTSDYSKYLDXRAAQDFVK(PEG₂PEG₂-γE-C18-OH)WL2DT-NH₂ 69 TP564 HXQGTFTSKYDSKYLDXRAAK(PEG₂PEG₂γE-C20-OH)DFVQWL2DT-NH₂ 70 TP598 HXQGTFTSDYSKYLDAKAAK(PEG₂PEG₂--γE-C18-OH)DFVQWL2DT-NH₂ 71 TP608 HXQGTFTSDYSKYLDARAAQK(PEG₅-γE-C18-OH)FVQWL2αMDT-NH₂ 72 TP655 HαMSQGTFTSDYSKYLDARAAQK(PEG₂PEG₂-γE-C18-OH)FVQWL2DT-NH₂ 73 TP654 HαMSQGTFTSDYSKYLDARAAK(PEG₂PEG₂-γE-C18-OH)DFVQWL2DT-NH₂ 74 TP628 HXQGTFTSDYSKYLDARAAK(PEG₂-γE-C18-OH)DFVOWL2αMDT-NH₂ 75 TP609 HXQGTFTSDYSKYLDARAAQpAF(PEG₂PEG₂-γE-C18-OH)FVQWLLαMDT-NH₂ 76 TP597 HXQGTFTSDYSKLLDARAAK(PEG₂PEG₂-γE-C18-OH)DFVQWL2DT-NH₂ 77 TP604 HXQGTFTSDYSKYLDARAAQDFVOWL2pAF(PEG₂PEG₂-γE-C18-OH)T-NH₂ 78 TP630 HXQGTFTSDYSKYLDARAAK(PEG₂PEG₂-γE-C16-OH)DFVQαMWL2DT-NH₂ 79 TP640 HXQGTFTSDYSKLLDARAAK(PEG₂PEG₂-γE-C18-OH)DFVQWL2αMDT-NH₂ Table legend: X = alpha-aminoisobutyric acid; γE = γ-glutamic acid; 2 = L-methionine sulphone; αMD = alpha-Methyl-L-Aspartic acid; αML = alpha-Methyl-L-leucine; αMF = alpha-Methyl-L-phenylalanine; αMS = alpha-Methyl-L-serine s = D-serine; pAF = p-aminomethyl-L-phenylalanine; PEG₂ = 8-amino-3,6-dioxaoctanoic acid; C14-OH = —CO—(CH₂)₁₂—COOH; C16-OH = CO—(CH₂)₁₄—COOH; C18-OH = —CO—(CH₂)₁₆—COOH; C17-OH = —CO—(CH₂)₁₅—COOH; C19-OH = —CO—(CH₂)₁₇—COOH; C20-OH = —CO—(CH₂)₁₈—COOH; NH₂ = C-terminal amide; and βc = 2-aminocyclopentane carboxylic acid has the structure

The peptide or co-agonist peptides of the present invention are conjugated to an α,ω-dicarboxylic acid comprising an aliphatic chain of 14 to 20 methylene groups (fatty diacid) wherein one end of the molecule is the proximal end and the other end is the distal end and wherein the proximal end and the distal end both have a carboxyl (COOH) group. The fatty diacid may be represented by the structure HO₂C(CH₂)_(n)CO₂H, wherein n is 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, or 17 to provide fatty diacids Tetradecanedioic acid, Hexadecanedioic acid, Heptadecanedioic acid, Octadecanedioic acid, Nonadecanedioic acid, and Eicosanedioic acid, respectively. The aforementioned fatty diacids have the following structures

As a component of the peptide or co-agonist peptide, the acid functionality at the proximal end of the fatty diacid is conjugated to the amino group of a linker in a C(O)—NH linkage and the acid functionality at the distal end of the fatty diacid is a free carboxyl group (COOH). The COOH group at the distal end helps confer a longer half-life to the peptide or co-agonist peptide by its ability to non-covalently bind to serum albumin, a known carrier for fatty acids in serum. The COOH group enhances duration of action as it provides a better non-covalent interaction with serum albumin than peptides that have been acylated using a fatty acid, which bind serum albumin less efficiently and form a less stable non-covalent interaction with the serum albumin. When the fatty diacid is conjugated to a linking moiety, it is subsequently referred to as a fatty acid component.

The linker may be PEG₂ (8-amino-3,6-dioxaoctanoic acid) linked to Gamma-Glutamic acid (gamma-Glu, γGlu, or γE), which has the structure

or the linker may be Gamma-Glutamic acid-gamma glutamic acid (gamma-Glu-gamma-Glu, or γGlu-γGlu, or γEγE), which has the structure

The structure of K(PEG₂PEG₂γE-fatty acid) wherein the linker is PEG₂PEG₂γE and the fatty acid component comprises C14, C16, C17, C18, C19, or C20 is represented by

wherein n is 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, or 14 respectively, and the wavy lines represent the bonds between adjacent amino acids in the peptide or co-agonist peptide sequence.

The structure of pAF(PEG₂PEG₂γE-fatty acid) wherein the linker is PEG₂PEG₂γE and the fatty acid component comprises C14, C16, C17, C18, C19, or C20 is represented by

wherein n is 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, or 14, respectively, and the wavy lines represent the bonds between adjacent amino acids in the peptide or co-agonist peptide sequence.

The structure of K(γEγE-fatty acid) wherein the linker is γEγE and the fatty acid component comprises C14, C16, C17, C18, C19, or C20 is represented by

wherein n is 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, or 14, respectively, and the wavy lines represent the bonds between adjacent amino acids in the peptide or co-agonist peptide sequence.

The structure of KγE at position 30 in the peptide or co-agonist peptide is represented by

wherein the wavy lines represent the bonds between adjacent amino acids in the peptide or co-agonist peptide sequence.

The peptide or co-agonist peptides disclosed herein may have anywhere from at least about 1% (including at least about 1.5%, 2%, 5%, 7%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 75%, 100%, 125%, 150%, 175%) to about 200% or higher activity at the GLP-1 receptor relative to native GLP-1 and anywhere from 5 at least about 1% (including about 1.5%, 2%, 5%, 7%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 75%, 100%, 125%, 150%, 175%, 200%, 250%, 300%, 350%, 400%, 450%) to about 500% or higher activity at the glucagon receptor relative to native glucagon. In some embodiments, the peptide or co-agonist peptides described herein exhibit no more than about 100%, 1000%, 10,000%, 100,000%, or 1,000,000% of the activity of native glucagon at the glucagon receptor. In some embodiments, the peptide or co-agonist peptides described herein exhibit no more than about 100%, 1000%, 10,000%, 100,000%, or 1,000,000% of the activity of native GLP-1 at the GLP-1 receptor. In exemplary embodiments, a peptide or co-agonist peptide may exhibit at least 10% of the activity of native glucagon at the glucagon receptor and at least 50% of the activity of native GLP-1 at the GLP-1 receptor, or at least 40% of the activity of native glucagon at the glucagon receptor and at least 40% of the activity of native GLP-1 at the GLP-1 receptor, or at least 60% of the activity of native glucagon at the glucagon receptor and at least 60% of the activity of native GLP-1 at the GLP-1 receptor.

Selectivity of a glucagon peptide for the glucagon receptor versus the GLP-1 receptor can be described as the relative ratio of glucagon/GLP-1 activity (the peptide analog's activity at the glucagon receptor relative to native glucagon, divided by the peptide's activity at the GLP-1 receptor relative to native GLP-1). For example, a peptide or co-agonist peptide that exhibits 60% of the activity of native glucagon at the glucagon receptor and 60% of the activity of native GLP-1 at the GLP-1 receptor has a 1:1 ratio of glucagon/GLP-1 activity. Exemplary ratios of glucagon/GLP-1 activity include about 1:1, 1.5:1, 2:1, 3:1, 4:1, 5:1, 6:1, 7:1, 8:1, 9:1 or 10:1, or about 1:10, 1:9, 1:8, 1:7, 1:6, 1:5, 1:4, 1:3, 1:2, or 1:1.5. As an example, a glucagon/GLP-1 activity ratio of 10:1 indicates a 10-fold selectivity for the glucagon receptor versus the GLP-1 receptor. Similarly, a GLP-1/glucagon activity ratio of 10:1 indicates a 10-fold selectivity for the GLP-1 receptor versus the glucagon receptor.

Pharmaceutical Compositions

Further provided are pharmaceutical compositions comprising a therapeutically effective amount of one or more of the peptide or co-agonist peptides disclosed herein for the treatment of a metabolic disorder in an individual. Such disorders include, but are not limited to, obesity, metabolic syndrome or syndrome X, type II diabetes, complications of diabetes such as retinopathy, hypertension, dyslipidemias, cardiovascular disease, gallstones, osteoarthritis, and certain forms of cancers. The obesity-related disorders herein are associated with, caused by, or result from obesity.

“Obesity” is a condition in which there is an excess of body fat. The operational definition of obesity is based on the Body Mass Index (BMI), calculated as body weight per height in meters squared (kg/m2). “Obesity” refers to a condition whereby an otherwise healthy subject has a Body Mass Index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2, or a condition whereby a subject with at least one co-morbidity has a BMI greater than or equal to 27 kg/m2. An “obese subject” is an otherwise healthy subject with a Body Mass Index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 or a subject with at least one co-morbidity with a BMI greater than or equal to 27 kg/m2. A “subject at risk for obesity” is an otherwise healthy subject with a BMI of 25 kg/m2 to less than 30 kg/m2 or a subject with at least one co-morbidity with a BMI of 25 kg/m2 to less than 27 kg/m2.

The increased risks associated with obesity occur at a lower Body Mass Index (BMI) in Asians. In Asian countries, including Japan, “obesity” refers to a condition whereby a subject with at least one obesity-induced or obesity-related co-morbidity that requires weight reduction or that would be improved by weight reduction, has a BMI greater than or equal to 25 kg/m2. In Asian countries, including Japan, an “obese subject” refers to a subject with at least one obesity-induced or obesity-related co-morbidity that requires weight reduction or that would be improved by weight reduction, with a BMI greater than or equal to 25 kg/m2. In Asian countries, a “subject at risk of obesity” is a subject with a BMI of greater than 23 kg/m2 to less than 25 kg/m2.

As used herein, the term “obesity” is meant to encompass all of the above definitions of obesity.

Obesity-induced or obesity-related co-morbidities include, but are not limited to, diabetes, non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus—type 2, impaired glucose tolerance, impaired fasting glucose, insulin resistance syndrome, dyslipidemia, hypertension, hyperuricacidemia, gout, coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction, angina pectoris, sleep apnea syndrome, Pickwickian syndrome, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), fatty liver; cerebral infarction, cerebral thrombosis, transient ischemic attack, orthopedic disorders, arthritis deformans, lumbodynia, emmeniopathy, and infertility. In particular, co-morbidities include: hypertension, hyperlipidemia, dyslipidemia, glucose intolerance, cardiovascular disease, sleep apnea, diabetes mellitus, and other obesity-related conditions.

“Treatment” (of obesity and obesity-related disorders) refers to the administration of the compounds of the present invention to reduce or maintain the body weight of an obese subject. One outcome of treatment may be reducing the body weight of an obese subject relative to that subject's body weight immediately before the administration of the compounds of the present invention. Another outcome of treatment may be preventing body weight regain of body weight previously lost as a result of diet, exercise, or pharmacotherapy. Another outcome of treatment may be decreasing the occurrence of and/or the severity of obesity-related diseases. The treatment may suitably result in a reduction in food or calorie intake by the subject, including a reduction in total food intake, or a reduction of intake of specific components of the diet such as carbohydrates or fats; and/or the inhibition of nutrient absorption; and/or the inhibition of the reduction of metabolic rate; and in weight reduction in patients in need thereof. The treatment may also result in an alteration of metabolic rate, such as an increase in metabolic rate, rather than or in addition to an inhibition of the reduction of metabolic rate; and/or in minimization of the metabolic resistance that normally results from weight loss.

“Prevention” (of obesity and obesity-related disorders) refers to the administration of the compounds of the present invention to reduce or maintain the body weight of a subject at risk of obesity. One outcome of prevention may be reducing the body weight of a subject at risk of obesity relative to that subject's body weight immediately before the administration of the compounds of the present invention. Another outcome of prevention may be preventing body weight regain of body weight previously lost as a result of diet, exercise, or pharmacotherapy. Another outcome of prevention may be preventing obesity from occurring if the treatment is administered prior to the onset of obesity in a subject at risk of obesity. Another outcome of prevention may be decreasing the occurrence and/or severity of obesity-related disorders if the treatment is administered prior to the onset of obesity in a subject at risk of obesity. Moreover, if treatment is commenced in already obese subjects, such treatment may prevent the occurrence, progression or severity of obesity-related disorders, such as, but not limited to, arteriosclerosis, Type II diabetes, polycystic ovarian disease, cardiovascular diseases, osteoarthritis, dermatological disorders, hypertension, insulin resistance, hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia, and cholelithiasis.

The obesity-related disorders herein are associated with, caused by, or result from obesity. Examples of obesity-related disorders include overeating and bulimia, hypertension, diabetes, elevated plasma insulin concentrations and insulin resistance, dyslipidemias, hyperlipidemia, endometrial, breast, prostate and colon cancer, osteoarthritis, obstructive sleep apnea, cholelithiasis, gallstones, heart disease, abnormal heart rhythms and arrythmias, myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, coronary heart disease, sudden death, stroke, polycystic ovarian disease, craniopharyngioma, the Prader-Willi Syndrome, Frohlich's syndrome, GH-deficient subjects, normal variant short stature, Turner's syndrome, and other pathological conditions showing reduced metabolic activity or a decrease in resting energy expenditure as a percentage of total fat-free mass, e.g, children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Further examples of obesity-related disorders are metabolic syndrome, also known as syndrome X, insulin resistance syndrome, sexual and reproductive dysfunction, such as infertility, hypogonadism in males and hirsutism in females, gastrointestinal motility disorders, such as obesity-related gastro-esophageal reflux, respiratory disorders, such as obesity-hypoventilation syndrome (Pickwickian syndrome), cardiovascular disorders, inflammation, such as systemic inflammation of the vasculature, arteriosclerosis, hypercholesterolemia, hyperuricaemia, lower back pain, gallbladder disease, gout, and kidney cancer. The compounds of the present invention are also useful for reducing the risk of secondary outcomes of obesity, such as reducing the risk of left ventricular hypertrophy.

The term “diabetes,” as used herein, includes both insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM, also known as type I diabetes) and non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM, also known as Type II diabetes). Type I diabetes, or insulin-dependent diabetes, is the result of an absolute deficiency of insulin, the hormone which regulates glucose utilization. Type II diabetes, or insulin-independent diabetes (i.e., non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus), often occurs in the face of normal, or even elevated levels of insulin and appears to be the result of the inability of tissues to respond appropriately to insulin. Most of the Type II diabetics are also obese. The compounds of the present invention are useful for treating both Type I and Type II diabetes. The compounds are especially effective for treating Type II diabetes. The compounds of the present invention are also useful for treating and/or preventing gestational diabetes mellitus.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,852,690, which is incorporated herein in its entirety, discloses methods for enhancing metabolism of nutrients comprising administering to a non-diabetic patient a formulation comprising a nutritively effective amount of one or more nutrients or any combination thereof and one or more insulinotropic peptides. The peptide or co-agonist peptides disclosed herein are insulinotropic and can be administered to patients with a disturbed glucose metabolism such as insulin resistance but no overt diabetes, as well as patients who for any reason cannot receive nutrition through the alimentary canal. Such patients include surgery patients, comatose patients, patients in shock, patients with gastrointestinal disease, patients with digestive hormone disease, and the like. In particular, obese patients, atherosclerotic patients, vascular disease patients, patients with gestational diabetes, patients with liver disease such as liver cirrhosis, patients with acromegaly, patients with glucorticoid excess such as cortisol treatment or Cushings disease, patients with activated counterregulatory hormones such as would occur after trauma, accidents and surgery and the like, patients with hypertriglyceridemia and patients with chronic pancreatitis can be readily and suitably nourished according to the invention without subjecting the patient to hypo- or hyperglycemia. In particular, the administration to such a patient aims to provide a therapy to as rapidly as possible deliver the nutritional and caloric requirements to the patient while maintaining his plasma glucose below the so-called renal threshold of about 160 to 180 milligrams per deciliter of glucose in the blood. Although normal patients not having glucose levels just below the renal threshold can also be treated according to the invention as described above, patients with disturbed glucose metabolism such as hyperglycemic patients whose plasma glucose level is just above the renal threshold also find the therapy suitable for their condition. In particular, such patients who have a degree of hyperglycemia below the renal threshold at intermittent intervals can receive a combination treatment of nutrients plus insulinotropic peptides according to any of the following regimens. Normal patients not suffering from such hyperglycemia can also be treated using the peptide or co-agonist peptides disclosed herein.

The peptide or co-agonist peptides disclosed herein may be used in a pharmaceutical composition when combined with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. Such compositions comprise a therapeutically-effective amount of one or more of the peptide or co-agonist peptides disclosed herein and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. Such a composition may also be comprised of (in addition to the peptide or co-agonist peptides disclosed herein and a carrier) diluents, fillers, salts, buffers, stabilizers, solubilizers, and other materials well known in the art. Compositions comprising the peptide or co-agonist peptides disclosed herein can be administered, if desired, in the form of salts provided the salts are pharmaceutically acceptable. Salts may be prepared using standard procedures known to those skilled in the art of synthetic organic chemistry.

The term “individual” is meant to include humans and companion or domesticated animals such as dogs, cats, horses, and the like. Therefore, the compositions comprising a compound as disclosed herein are also useful for treating or preventing obesity and obesity-related disorders in cats and dogs. As such, the term “mammal” includes companion animals such as cats and dogs.

The term “pharmaceutically acceptable salts” refers to salts prepared from pharmaceutically acceptable non-toxic bases or acids including inorganic or organic bases and inorganic or organic acids. Salts derived from inorganic bases include aluminum, ammonium, calcium, copper, ferric, ferrous, lithium, magnesium, manganic salts, manganous, potassium, sodium, zinc, and the like. Particularly preferred are the ammonium, calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sodium salts. Salts derived from pharmaceutically acceptable organic non-toxic bases include salts of primary, secondary, and tertiary amines, substituted amines including naturally occurring substituted amines, cyclic amines, and basic ion exchange resins, such as arginine, betaine, caffeine, choline, N,N′-dibenzylethylenediamine, diethylamine, 2-diethylaminoethanol, 2-dimethylaminoethanol, ethanolamine, ethylenediamine, N-ethyl-morpholine, N-ethylpiperidine, glucamine, glucosamine, histidine, hydrabamine, isopropylamine, lysine, methylglucamine, morpholine, piperazine, piperidine, polyamine resins, procaine, purines, theobromine, triethylamine, trimethylamine, tripropylamine, tromethamine, and the like. The term “pharmaceutically acceptable salt” further includes all acceptable salts such as acetate, lactobionate, benzenesulfonate, laurate, benzoate, malate, bicarbonate, maleate, bisulfate, mandelate, bitartrate, mesylate, borate, methylbromide, bromide, methylnitrate, calcium edetate, methylsulfate, camsylate, mucate, carbonate, napsylate, chloride, nitrate, clavulanate, N-methylglucamine, citrate, ammonium salt, dihydrochloride, oleate, edetate, oxalate, edisylate, pamoate (embonate), estolate, palmitate, esylate, pantothenate, fumarate, phosphate/diphosphate, gluceptate, polygalacturonate, gluconate, salicylate, glutamate, stearate, glycollylarsanilate, sulfate, hexylresorcinate, subacetate, hydrabamine, succinate, hydrobromide, tannate, hydrochloride, tartrate, hydroxynaphthoate, teoclate, iodide, tosylate, isothionate, triethiodide, lactate, panoate, valerate, and the like which can be used as a dosage form for modifying the solubility or hydrolysis characteristics or can be used in sustained release or pro-drug formulations. It will be understood that, as used herein, references to the OXM analogs disclosed herein are meant to also include the pharmaceutically acceptable salts.

As utilized herein, the term “pharmaceutically acceptable” means a non-toxic material that does not interfere with the effectiveness of the biological activity of the active ingredient(s), approved by a regulatory agency of the Federal or a state government or listed in the U.S. Pharmacopoeia or other generally recognized pharmacopoeia for use in animals and, more particularly, in humans. The term “carrier” refers to a diluent, adjuvant, excipient, or vehicle with which the therapeutic is administered and includes, but is not limited to such sterile liquids as water and oils. The characteristics of the carrier will depend on the route of administration. The peptide or co-agonist peptides disclosed herein may be in multimers (for example, heterodimers or homodimers) or complexes with itself or other peptides. As a result, pharmaceutical compositions of the invention may comprise one or more peptide or co-agonist peptides disclosed herein in such multimeric or complexed form.

As used herein, the term “therapeutically effective amount” means the total amount of each active component of the pharmaceutical composition or method that is sufficient to show a meaningful patient benefit, i.e., treatment, healing, prevention or amelioration of the relevant medical condition, or an increase in rate of treatment, healing, prevention or amelioration of such conditions. When applied to an individual active ingredient, administered alone, the term refers to that ingredient alone. When applied to a combination, the term refers to combined amounts of the active ingredients that result in the therapeutic effect, whether administered in combination, serially, or simultaneously.

The pharmacological composition can comprise one or more peptide or co-agonist peptides disclosed herein; one or more peptide or co-agonist peptides disclosed herein and one or more other agents for treating a metabolic disorder; or the pharmacological composition comprising the one or more peptide or co-agonist peptides disclosed herein can be used concurrently with a pharmacological composition comprising an agent for treating a metabolic disorder. Such disorders include, but are not limited to, obesity, metabolic syndrome or syndrome X, type II diabetes, complications of diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemias, cardiovascular disease, gallstones, osteoarthritis, and certain forms of cancers.

When the pharmacological composition comprises another agent for treating a metabolic disorder or the treatment includes a second pharmacological composition comprising an agent for treating a metabolic disorder, the agent includes, but are not limited to, cannabinoid (CB1) receptor antagonists, glucagon like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists, glucagon receptor antagonists, lipase inhibitors, leptin, tetrahydrolipstatin, 2-4-dinitrophenol, acarbose, sibutramine, phentamine, fat absorption blockers, simvastatin, mevastatin, ezetimibe, atorvastatin, sitagliptin, metformin, orlistat, Qnexa, topiramate, naltrexone, bupriopion, hentermine, losartan, losartan with hydrochlorothiazide, and the like.

Examples of other active ingredients that may be administered separately or in the same pharmaceutical composition in combination with a peptide or co-agonist peptide as described herein include, but are not limited to:

(1) other dipeptidyl peptidase-IV (DPP-4) inhibitors (e.g., sitagliptin, alogliptin, linagliptin, vildagliptin, saxagliptin and omarigliptin);

(2) insulin sensitizers, including (i) PPARy agonists, such as the glitazones (e.g. pioglitazone, AMG 131, MBX2044, mitoglitazone, lobeglitazone, IDR-105, rosiglitazone, and balaglitazone), and other PPAR ligands, including (1) PPARα/γ dual agonists (e.g., ZYH2, ZYH1, GFT505, chiglitazar, muraglitazar, aleglitazar, sodelglitazar, and naveglitazar); (2) PPARy agonists such as fenofibric acid derivatives (e.g., gemfibrozil, clofibrate, ciprofibrate, fenofibrate, bezafibrate), (3) selective PPARy modulators (SPPARyM's), (e.g., such as those disclosed in WO 02/060388, WO 02/08188, WO 2004/019869, WO 2004/020409, WO 2004/020408, and WO 2004/066963); and (4) PPARy partial agonists; (ii) biguanides, such as metformin and its pharmaceutically acceptable salts, in particular, metformin hydrochloride, and extended-release formulations thereof, such as Glumetza™, Fortamet™, and GlucophageXR™; and (iii) protein tyrosine phosphatase-1B (PTP-1B) inhibitors (e.g., ISIS-113715 and TTP814); (3) insulin or insulin analogs (e.g., insulin detemir, insulin glulisine, insulin degludec, insulin glargine (U100 or U300), insulin lispro and inhalable formulations of each);

(4) leptin and leptin derivatives and agonists;

(5) amylin and amylin analogs (e.g., pramlintide);

(6) sulfonylurea and non-sulfonylurea insulin secretagogues (e.g., tolbutamide, glyburide, glipizide, glimepiride, mitiglinide, meglitinides, nateglinide and repaglinide);

(7) α-glucosidase inhibitors (e.g., acarbose, voglibose and miglitol);

(8) glucagon receptor antagonists (e.g., such as those disclosed in WO 98/04528, WO 99/01423, WO 00/39088, and WO 00/69810);

(9) incretin mimetics, such as GLP-1, GLP-1 analogs, derivatives, and mimetics; and GLP-1 receptor agonists (e.g., dulaglutide, semaglutide, albiglutide, exenatide, liraglutide, lixisenatide, taspoglutide, CJC-1131, and BIM-51077, including intranasal, transdermal, and once-weekly formulations thereof);

(10) LDL cholesterol lowering agents such as (i) HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors (e.g., simvastatin, lovastatin, pravastatin, crivastatin, fluvastatin, atorvastatin, pitavastatin and rosuvastatin), (ii) bile acid sequestering agents (e.g., colestilan, colestimide, colesevalam hydrochloride, colestipol, cholestyramine, and dialkylaminoalkyl derivatives of a cross-linked dextran), (iii) inhibitors of cholesterol absorption, (e.g., ezetimibe), and (iv) acyl CoA:cholesterol acyltransferase inhibitors, (e.g., avasimibe);

(11) HDL-raising drugs, (e.g., niacin and nicotinic acid receptor agonists, and extended-release versions thereof; MK-524A, which is a combination of niacin extended-release and the DP-1 antagonist MK-524);

(12) antiobesity compounds;

(13) agents intended for use in inflammatory conditions, such as aspirin, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDs, glucocorticoids, and selective cyclooxygenase-2 or COX-2 inhibitors;

(14) antihypertensive agents, such as ACE inhibitors (e.g., lisinopril, enalapril, ramipril, captopril, quinapril, and tandolapril), A-II receptor blockers (e.g., losartan, candesartan, irbesartan, olmesartan medoxomil, valsartan, telmisartan, and eprosartan), renin inhibitors (e.g., aliskiren), beta blockers, and calcium channel blockers;

(15) glucokinase activators (GKAs) (e.g., AZD6370);

(16) inhibitors of 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1, (e.g., such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,730,690, and LY-2523199);

(17) CETP inhibitors (e.g., anacetrapib, and torcetrapib);

(18) inhibitors of fructose 1,6-bisphosphatase, (e.g., such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,054,587; 6,110,903; 6,284,748; 6,399,782; and 6,489,476);

(19) inhibitors of acetyl CoA carboxylase-1 or 2 (ACC1 or ACC2);

(20) AMP-activated Protein Kinase (AMPK) activators;

(21) other agonists of the G-protein-coupled receptors: (i) GPR-109, (ii) GPR-119 (e.g., MBX2982 and PSN821), and (iii) GPR-40 (e.g., TAK875, 5-[4-[[(1R)-4-[6-(3-hydroxy-3-methylbutoxy)-2-methylpyridine-3-yl]-2,3-dihydro-1H-indene-1-yl]oxy]phenyl]isothiazole-3-ol 1-oxide, 5-(4-((3-(2,6-dimethyl-4-(3-(methylsulfonyl)propoxy)phenyl)phenyl)methoxy)phenyl)iso, 5-(4-((3-(2-methyl-6-(3-hydroxypropoxy)pyridine-3-yl)-2-methylphenyl)methoxy)phenyl)isothiazole-3-ol 1-oxide, and 5-[4-[[3-[4-(3-aminopropoxy)-2,6-dimethylphenyl]phenyl]methoxy]phenyl]isothiazole-3-ol 1-oxide);

(22) SSTR3 antagonists (e.g., such as those disclosed in WO 2009/001836);

(23) neuromedin U receptor agonists (e.g., such as those disclosed in WO 2009/042053, including, but not limited to, neuromedin S (NMS));

(24) SCD inhibitors;

(25) GPR-105 antagonists (e.g., such as those disclosed in WO 2009/000087);

(26) SGLT inhibitors (e.g., ASP1941, SGLT-3, empagliflozin, dapagliflozin, canagliflozin, BI-10773, PF-04971729, remogloflozin, TS-071, tofogliflozin, ipragliflozin, and LX-4211);

(27) inhibitors of acyl coenzyme A:diacylglycerol acyltransferase 1 and 2 (DGAT-1 and DGAT-2); (28) inhibitors of fatty acid synthase;

(29) inhibitors of acyl coenzyme A:monoacylglycerol acyltransferase 1 and 2 (MGAT-1 and MGAT-2);

(30) agonists of the TGRS receptor (also known as GPBAR1, BG37, GPCR19, GPR131, and M-BAR);

(31) ileal bile acid transporter inhibitors;

(32) PACAP, PACAP mimetics, and PACAP receptor 3 agonists;

(33) PPAR agonists;

(34) protein tyrosine phosphatase-1B (PTP-1B) inhibitors;

(35) IL-1b antibodies, (e.g., XOMA052 and canakinumab);

(36) bromocriptine mesylate and rapid-release formulations thereof:

(37) FGF-21 and analogs and derivatives thereof; and (38) FGF21 mimetics such as agonist antibodies that binds the ß-Klotho and FCFR1c complex.

Of particular interest are metformin hydrochloride, pioglitazone, rosiglitazone, simvastatin, atorvastatin, or a sulfonylurea.

Antiobesity compounds that can be combined with compounds as disclosed herein include topiramate; zonisamide; naltrexone; phentermine; bupropion; the combination of bupropion and naltrexone; the combination of bupropion and zonisamide; the combination of topiramate and phentermine; fenfluramine; dexfenfluramine; sibutramine; lipase inhibitors, such as orlistat and cetilistat; melanocortin receptor agonists, in particular, melanocortin-4 receptor agonists; CCK-1 agonists; melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) receptor antagonists; neuropeptide Y₁ or Y₅ antagonists (such as MK-0557); CB1 receptor inverse agonists and antagonists (such as rimonabant and taranabant); β₃ adrenergic receptor agonists; ghrelin antagonists; bombesin receptor agonists (such as bombesin receptor subtype-3 agonists); and 5-hydroxytryptamine-2c (5-HT2c) agonists, such as lorcaserin. For a review of anti-obesity compounds that can be combined with compounds of the present invention, see Chaki et al., “Recent advances in feeding suppressing agents: potential therapeutic strategy for the treatment of obesity,” Expert Opin. Ther. Patents, 11: 1677-1692 (2001); Spanswick and Lee, “Emerging antiobesity drugs,” Expert Opin. Emerging Drugs, 8: 217-237 (2003); Fernandez-Lopez, et al., “Pharmacological Approaches for the Treatment of Obesity,” Drugs, 62: 915-944 (2002); and Gadde, et al., “Combination pharmaceutical therapies for obesity,” Exp. Opin. Pharmacother., 10: 921-925 (2009).

In another aspect of the invention, a pharmaceutical composition is disclosed which comprises one or more of the following agents:

(a) a compound as disclosed herein;

(b) one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of:

-   -   (1) other dipeptidyl peptidase-IV (DPP-4) inhibitors;     -   (2) insulin sensitizers, including (i) PPARγ agonists, such as         the glitazones (e.g. AMG 131, MBX2044, mitoglitazone,         lobeglitazone, IDR-105, pioglitazone, rosiglitazone, and         balaglitazone) and other PPAR ligands, including (1) PPARα/γ         dual agonists, such as ZYH1, YYH2, chiglitazar, GFT505,         muraglitazar, aleglitazar, sodelglitazar, and naveglitazar, (2)         PPARα agonists, such as fenofibric acid derivatives (e.g.,         gemfibrozil, clofibrate, ciprofibrate, fenofibrate and         bezafibrate), (3) selective PPARy modulators (SPPARyM's),         and (4) PPARy partial agonists; (ii) biguanides, such as         metformin and its pharmaceutically acceptable salts, in         particular, metformin hydrochloride, and extended-release         formulations thereof, such as Glumetza®, Fortamet®, and         GlucophageXR®; (iii) protein tyrosine phosphatase-1B (PTP-1B)         inhibitors, such as ISI-113715, and TTP814;     -   (3) sulfonylurea and non-sulfonylurea insulin secretagogues,         (e.g., tolbutamide, glyburide, glipizide, glimepiride,         mitiglinide, and meglitinides, such as nateglinide and         repaglinide);     -   (4) α-glucosidase inhibitors (e.g., acarbose, voglibose and         miglitol);     -   (5) glucagon receptor antagonists;     -   (6) LDL cholesterol lowering agents such as (i) HMG-CoA         reductase inhibitors (e.g., lovastatin, simvastatin,         pravastatin, cerivastatin, fluvastatin, atorvastatin,         pitavastatin, and rosuvastatin), (ii) bile acid sequestering         agents (e.g., colestilan, cholestyramine, colestimide,         colesevelam hydrochloride, colestipol, and dialkylaminoalkyl         derivatives of a cross-linked dextran), (iii) inhibitors of         cholesterol absorption, (e.g., ezetimibe), and (iv) acyl CoA:         cholesterol acyltransferase inhibitors (e.g., avasimibe);     -   (7) HDL-raising drugs, such as niacin or a salt thereof and         extended-release versions thereof; MK-524A, which is a         combination of niacin extended-release and the DP-1 antagonist         MK-524; and nicotinic acid receptor agonists;     -   (8) antiobesity compounds;     -   (9) agents intended for use in inflammatory conditions, such as         aspirin, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs),         glucocorticoids, and selective cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2)         inhibitors;     -   (10) antihypertensive agents, such as ACE inhibitors (e.g.,         enalapril, lisinopril, ramipril, captopril, quinapril, and         tandolapril), A-II receptor blockers (e.g., losartan,         candesartan, irbesartan, olmesartan medoxomil, valsartan,         telmisartan, and eprosartan), renin inhibitors (e.g.,         aliskiren), beta blockers (e.g., calcium channel blockers);     -   (11) glucokinase activators (GKAs) (e.g., AZD6370);     -   (12) inhibitors of 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1         (e.g., such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,730,690; WO         03/104207; and WO 04/058741);     -   (13) inhibitors of cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP),         (e.g., torcetrapib and MK-0859);     -   (14) inhibitors of fructose 1,6-bisphosphatase (e.g., such as         those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,054,587; 6,110,903;         6,284,748; 6,399,782; and 6,489,476);     -   (15) inhibitors of acetyl CoA carboxylase-1 or 2 (ACC1 or ACC2);

(16) AMP-activated Protein Kinase (AMPK) activators;

-   -   (17) agonists of the G-protein-coupled receptors: (i)         GPR-109, (ii) GPR-119 (e.g., MBX2982, and PSN821), and (iii)         GPR-40 (e.g., TAK875,         5-[4-[[(1R)-4-[6-(3-hydroxy-3-methylbutoxy)-2-methylpyridine-3-yl]-2,3-dihydro-1H-indene-1-yl]oxy]phenyl]isothiazole-3-ol         1-oxide,         5-(4-((3-(2,6-dimethyl-4-(3-(methylsulfonyl)propoxy)phenyl)phenyl)methoxy)phenyl)iso,         5-(4-((3-(2-methyl-6-(3-hydroxypropoxy)pyridine-3-yl)-2-methylphenyl)methoxy)phenyl)isothiazole-3-ol         1-oxide, and         5-[4-[[3-[4-(3-aminopropoxy)-2,6-dimethylphenyl]phenyl]methoxy]phenyl]isothiazole-3-ol         1-oxide);     -   (18) SSTR3 antagonists (e.g., such as those disclosed in WO         2009/011836);     -   (19) neuromedin U receptor agonists (e.g., such as those         disclosed in WO2009/042053, including, but not limited to,         neuromedin S (NMS));     -   (20) inhibitors of stearoyl-coenzyme A delta-9 desaturase (SCD);     -   (21) GPR-105 antagonists (e.g., such as those disclosed in WO         2009/000087);     -   (22) inhibitors of glucose uptake, such as sodium-glucose         transporter (SGLT) inhibitors and its various isoforms, such as         SGLT-1; SGLT-2 (e.g., ASP1941, TS071, BI10773, tofogliflozin,         LX4211, canagliflozin, dapagliflozin and remogliflozin; and         SGLT-3);     -   (23) inhibitors of acyl coenzyme A:diacylglycerol         acyltransferase 1 and 2 (DGAT-1 and DGAT-2);     -   (24) inhibitors of fatty acid synthase;     -   (25) inhibitors of acyl coenzyme A:monoacylglycerol         acyltransferase 1 and 2 (MGAT-1 and MGAT-2);     -   (26) agonists of the TGRS receptor (also known as GPBAR1, BG37,         GPCR19, GPR131, and M-BAR);     -   (28) bromocriptine mesylate and rapid-release formulations         thereof, and     -   (29) IL-1b antibodies (e.g., XOMA052, and canakinumab);     -   (30) FGF-21 or analog or derivative;     -   (31) FGF21 mimetics such as agonist antibodies that binds the         ß-Klotho and FCFR1c complex; and

(c) a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

When a peptide or co-agonist peptide of the present invention is used contemporaneously with one or more other drugs, peptides, or proteins, a pharmaceutical composition containing such other drugs, peptides, or proteins in addition to the peptide or co-agonist peptide of the present invention may be provided. Accordingly, the pharmaceutical compositions of the present invention include those that also contain one or more other active ingredients, in addition to a co-agonist peptide of the present invention.

Methods of administrating the pharmacological compositions comprising the one or more peptides or co-agonist peptides disclosed herein to an individual include, but are not limited to, intradermal, intramuscular, intraperitoneal, intravenous, subcutaneous, intranasal, epidural, and oral routes. The compositions can be administered by any convenient route, for example by infusion or bolus injection, by absorption through epithelial or mucocutaneous linings (for example, oral mucosa, rectal and intestinal mucosa, and the like), ocular, and the like and can be administered together with other biologically-active agents. Administration can be systemic or local. In addition, it may be advantageous to administer the composition into the central nervous system by any suitable route, including intraventricular and intrathecal injection. Intraventricular injection may be facilitated by an intraventricular catheter attached to a reservoir (for example, an Ommaya reservoir). Pulmonary administration may also be employed by use of an inhaler or nebulizer, and formulation with an aerosolizing agent. It may also be desirable to administer the one or more peptides or co-agonist peptides disclosed herein locally to the area in need of treatment; this may be achieved by, for example, and not by way of limitation, local infusion during surgery, topical application, by injection, by means of a catheter, by means of a suppository, or by means of an implant.

Various delivery systems are known and can be used to administer the peptides or co-agonist peptides disclosed herein including, but not limited to, encapsulation in liposomes, microparticles, microcapsules; minicells; polymers; capsules; tablets; and the like. In one embodiment, the peptides or co-agonist peptides disclosed herein may be delivered in a vesicle, in particular a liposome. In a liposome, the peptides or co-agonist peptides disclosed herein are combined, in addition to other pharmaceutically acceptable carriers, with amphipathic agents such as lipids which exist in aggregated form as micelles, insoluble monolayers, liquid crystals, or lamellar layers in aqueous solution. Suitable lipids for liposomal formulation include, without limitation, monoglycerides, diglycerides, sulfatides, lysolecithin, phospholipids, saponin, bile acids, and the like. Preparation of such liposomal formulations is within the level of skill in the art, as disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,837,028 and 4,737,323. In yet another embodiment, the peptides or co-agonist peptides disclosed herein can be delivered in a controlled release system including, but not limited to: a delivery pump (See, for example, Saudek, et al., New Engl. J. Med. 321: 574 (1989) and a semi-permeable polymeric material (See, for example, Howard, et al., J. Neurosurg. 71: 105 (1989)). Additionally, the controlled release system can be placed in proximity of the therapeutic target (for example, the brain), thus requiring only a fraction of the systemic dose. See, for example, Goodson, In: Medical Applications of Controlled Release, 1984. (CRC Press, Bocca Raton, Fla.).

The amount of the compositions comprising one or more of the peptides or co-agonist peptides disclosed herein which will be effective in the treatment of a particular disorder or condition will depend on the nature of the disorder or condition, and may be determined by standard clinical techniques by those of average skill within the art. In addition, in vitro assays may optionally be employed to help identify optimal dosage ranges. The precise dose to be employed in the formulation will also depend on the route of administration, and the overall seriousness of the disease or disorder, and should be decided according to the judgment of the practitioner and each patient's circumstances. Ultimately, the attending physician will decide the amount of the composition with which to treat each individual patient. Initially, the attending physician will administer low doses of the composition and observe the patient's response. Larger doses of the composition may be administered until the optimal therapeutic effect is obtained for the patient, and at that point the dosage is not increased further. In general, the daily dose range lie within the range of from about 0.001 mg to about 100 mg per kg body weight of a mammal, preferably 0.01 mg to about 50 mg per kg, and most preferably 0.1 to 10 mg per kg, in single or divided doses. On the other hand, it may be necessary to use dosages outside these limits in some cases. However, suitable dosage ranges for intravenous administration of the compositions comprising the one or more peptides or co-agonist peptides disclosed herein are generally about 5-500 micrograms (μg) of active compound per kilogram (Kg) body weight. Suitable dosage ranges for intranasal administration are generally about 0.01 pg/kg body weight to 1 mg/kg body weight. Effective doses may be extrapolated from dose-response curves derived from in vitro or animal model test systems. Suppositories generally contain active ingredient in the range of 0.5% to 10% by weight; oral formulations preferably contain 10% to 95% active ingredient. Ultimately the attending physician will decide on the appropriate duration of therapy using compositions comprising the one or more peptides or co-agonist peptides disclosed herein of the present invention. Dosage will also vary according to the age, weight and response of the individual patient.

Further provided is a pharmaceutical pack or kit, comprising one or more containers filled with one or more of the ingredients of the pharmaceutical compositions and peptides or co-agonist peptides disclosed herein. Optionally associated with such container(s) may be a notice in the form prescribed by a governmental agency regulating the manufacture, use or sale of pharmaceuticals or biological products, which notice reflects approval by the agency of manufacture, use or sale for human administration.

The present invention further provides a method for treating a patient for a metabolic disease or disorder comprising administering the patient an effective amount of a composition comprising any one or more of the aforementioned peptides or co-agonist peptides to treat the metabolic disease or disorder in the patient.

In particular aspects, the metabolic disease or disorder is diabetes, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), or obesity. In particular aspects, the diabetes is Type I diabetes, Type II diabetes, or gestational diabetes. In particular aspects, the patient has more than one metabolic disease or disorder, for example, diabetes and NASH, NAFLD, or obesity; obesity and NASH or NAFLD; diabetes, NASH, and obesity; diabetes, NAFLD, and obesity; or diabetes and obesity.

The present invention further provides for the use of any one of the aforementioned peptides or co-agonist peptides for manufacture of a medicament for the treatment of a metabolic disease or disorder.

The present invention further provides for the use of any one of the aforementioned peptides or co-agonist peptides for manufacture of a medicament for the treatment of a metabolic disease or disorder.

In particular aspects, the metabolic disease or disorder is diabetes, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), or obesity. In particular aspects, the diabetes is Type I diabetes, Type II diabetes, or gestational diabetes. In particular aspects, the medicament is for treatment of more than one metabolic disease or disorder, for example, diabetes and NASH, NAFLD, or obesity; obesity and NASH or NAFLD; diabetes, NASH, and obesity; diabetes, NAFLD, and obesity; or diabetes and obesity.

Further provided is method for treating a metabolic disease or disorder in a patient or individual comprising: administering to the patient or individual an effective amount of any one of the aforementioned compositions comprising a co-agonist peptide and administering to the patient or individual an effective amount of a composition comprising an insulin or insulin analog to treat the metabolic disease or disorder in the patient or individual.

In particular aspects, the composition comprising the co-agonist peptide is administered at a time prior to the time the composition comprising the insulin or insulin analog is administered. In another aspect, the composition comprising the insulin or insulin analog is administered at a time prior to the time the composition comprising the co-agonist peptide is administered. In a further still aspect, the composition comprising the co-agonist peptide is administered at the same time as the composition comprising the insulin or insulin analog is administered.

In particular aspects, the insulin analog is insulin detemir, insulin glargine (U100 or U300), insulin levemir, insulin glulisine, insulin degludec, or insulin lispro.

In particular aspects, the metabolic disease or disorder is diabetes, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), or obesity. In particular aspects, the diabetes is Type I diabetes, Type II diabetes, or gestational diabetes. In particular aspects, the patient has more than one metabolic disease or disorder, for example, diabetes and NASH, NAFLD, or obesity; obesity and NASH or NAFLD; diabetes, NASH, and obesity; diabetes, NAFLD, and obesity; or diabetes and obesity.

The present invention further provides a composition comprising any one of the aforementioned peptides or co-agonist peptides; an insulin or insulin analog; and, a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

The present invention further provides for the use of a composition comprising any one of the aforementioned peptides or co-agonist peptides; an insulin or insulin analog; and, a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier for the treatment of a metabolic disease or disorder.

In particular aspects, the metabolic disease or disorder is diabetes, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), or obesity. In further aspects, the diabetes is Type I diabetes, Type II diabetes, or gestational diabetes.

The present invention further provides for the use of a composition comprising any one of the aforementioned peptides or co-agonist peptides; an insulin or insulin analog; and, a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier for the manufacture of a medicament for the treatment of a metabolic disease or disorder.

In particular aspects, the insulin analog comprises insulin detemir, insulin glargine (U100 or U300), insulin levemir, insulin glulisine, insulin degludec, or insulin lispro.

In particular aspects, the metabolic disease or disorder is diabetes, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), or obesity. In further aspects, the diabetes is Type I diabetes, Type II diabetes, or gestational diabetes.

The following examples are intended to promote a further understanding of the present invention.

Example 1

Peptides in Table 1 were synthesized by solid phase synthesis using Fmoc/t-Bu chemistry on a peptide multisynthesizer Symphony (Protein Technologies Inc.) on a 150 μmol scale, using either a Rink-amide PEG-PS resin (Champion, Biosearch Technologies, loading 0.28 mmol/g) or a Rink-amide PS resin (ChemImpex loading 0.47 mmol/g).

All the amino acids were dissolved at a 0.3 M concentration in DMF. The amino acids were activated with equimolar amounts of HATU (O-(7-azabenzotriazol-1-yl)-N,N,N′,N′-tetramethyluronium hexafluorophosphate) solution 0.3 M in DMF, and a 2-fold molar excess of DIEA (N,N-diisopropylethylamine), solution 2M in NMP. The acylation reactions were performed in general for 1 hour with a 5-fold excess of activated amino acid over the resin free amino groups with double 45 minutes acylation reactions performed from His' to Thr′ and from F²² to V²³.

The side chain protecting groups were: tert-butyl for Glu, Ser, D-Ser, Thr and Tyr; trityl for Asn, Gln and His; tert-butoxy-carbonyl for Lys, Trp; and, 2,2,4,6,7-pentamethyldihydrobenzofuran-5-sulfonyl for Arg; His was introduced as Boc-His(Trt)-OH at the end of the sequence assembly. Amino acid 2 (L-methionine-sulphone) was introduced by acylation of Fmoc-L-methionine-sulphone-COOH. The position used for linker-lipid derivatization, either lysine or pAF (p-aminomethyl-L-phenylalanine) were incorporated with a Dde [1-(4,4-dimethyl-2,6-dioxocyclohex-1-ylidene)ethyl] protecting group on the side chain amino group. The pAF [Fmoc-4-(Dde-aminomethyl)-phenylalanine] amino acid was synthesized as described below. For sequences ID: 33, 34, 35, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, incorporation of the alpha methyl amino acid and the corresponding following residue were performed by manual coupling with HOAt (Hydroxybenzoazatriazole) and DIC (N,N′-diisopropylcarbodiimide). For sequences ID 34 and 36, the Pc residue [(1S,2S)-Fmoc-2-aminocyclopentane carboxylic acid] was incorporated by manual coupling with HOAt and DIC.

At the end of the assembly, the Dde protecting group of either pAF(Dde) or Lys(Dde) was removed by treatment of 2% hydrazine in DMF. The side chains of Lys or pAF were derivatized with different linkers and fatty diacids by incorporation of Fmoc-Glu-OtBu (γ-glutamic acid), Fmoc-PEG2 [8-(9-Fluorenylmethyloxycarbonyl-amino)-3,6-dioxaoctanoic acid] and the lipid diacids (Tetradecanedioic acid; Hexadecanedioic acid; Eptadecanedioic acid; Octadecanedioic acid; Nonadecanedioic acid; Eicosanedioic acid) using HOAt and DIC as activators.

At the end of the synthesis, the dry peptide-resins were individually treated with 25 mL of the cleavage mixture, 88% TFA, 5% phenol, 2% triisopropylsilane and 5% water for 1.5 hours at room temperature. Each resin was filtered and then added to cold methyl-t-butyl ether in order to precipitate the peptide. After centrifugation, the peptide pellets were washed with fresh cold methyl-t-butyl ether to remove the organic scavengers. The process was repeated twice. Final pellets were dried, resuspended in H2O, 20% acetonitrile, and lyophilized. The crude peptides (140 mg in 3 ml of DMSO) were purified by reverse-phase HPLC using preparative Waters Deltapak C4 (40×200 mm, 15 μm, 300{acute over (Å)}) and using as eluents (A) 0.1% TFA in water and (B) 0.1% TFA in acetonitrile.

Analytical HPLC was performed on a Acquity UPLC Waters Chromatograph with a BEH300 C4 Acquity Waters column 2.1×100 mm, 1.7 μm, at 45° C., using H2O, 0.1% TFA (A) and CH3CN, 0.1% TFA (B) as solvents. The peptides were characterized by electrospray mass spectrometry on an Acquity SQ Detector.

Synthesis of Fmoc-4-(Dde-aminomethyl)-phenylalanine

Fmoc-4-(Boc-aminomethyl)-phenylalanine was stirred in DCM/TFA 2/1 for 1 hour. The solvents were removed under reduced pressure and the residue was treated with diethyl ether to obtain a white solid. The crude material obtained was dissolved in EtOH (19 mM), DIPEA (5 eq) and Dimedone (1.1 eq) were added to the reaction mixture. After 3 hours at 60° C. the solution was acidified with TFA to pH 4. The solvents were removed under reduced pressure and the residue was treated with AcOEt and washed with HCl 1N. The organic phase was washed with brine and and dried over Na₂SO₄. The solvents were removed under reduced pressure and the final product was obtained as yellow oil which was further treated with Et2O to obtain a white solid.

The final compound was characterized on an Acquity UPLC Waters Chromatograph, with BEH300 C18 Acquity Waters 2.1×100 mm, 1.7 μm, at 45° C., using H₂O, 0.1% TFA (A) and CH₃CN, 0.1% TFA (B) as solvents and the following gradient: 10% to 10% B in 1 min, 10% B over 90% B in 4 min, flow 0.4 mL/min. The protected amino acid was characterized by electrospray mass spectrometry on a Acquity SQ Detector (Mw found: 581.5 Da; Mw expected: 580.67 Da)

Example 2

Activity of the peptides at the Glucagon receptor (GCGR) and GLP-1 receptor (GLP1R) was measured in a cAMP activity assay.

Peptides were dissolved in 100% DMSO and serially diluted to generate 10 point titrations. The peptide solutions were then transferred into 384-well assay plates (150 nL/well). Assay ready frozen cells expressing human GLP1R or human GCGR were suspended in growth media consisting of DMEM medium (GIBCO), 10% FBS (GIBCO), 1×NEAA(GIBCO), 1× P/S (GIBCO), 10 ug/ml Blasticidin (GIBCO) and 200 μg/mL Hygromycin (GIBCO). Cells were then diluted in assay buffer consisting of PBS (GIBCO), 7.5% BSA (Perkin Elmer), 100 μM RO 20-1724 (Sigma), with or without 20% human serum (MP Biomedical). The cell suspensions (15 μL) were then added to the assay plates containing the peptide solutions (30,000 cells/well for human GCGR; 10,000 cells/well for human GLP1R). The cells were incubated for 1 hour at room temperature in the dark. Production of cAMP was determined using HitHunter™cAMPXS kits (DiscoverX) following manufacturer protocol. The plates were incubated for overnight at room temperature in the dark. Luminescence was measured using an EnVision Multilabel plate reader (Perkin Elmer). Native GLP-1 and Glucagon (Bachem) are used as control peptides. EC₅₀ values were calculated using uses a 4 parameter logistic fit based on the Levenberg-Marquardt algorithm. The results are shown in Table 2.

TABLE 2 GCGR EC50 GLP1R EC50 hGCGR/hGLP1R SEQ ID NO: human human (hTone) 1 0.160 1.890 0.09 2 0.030 0.274 0.11 3 0.050 0.200 0.23 4 1.420 0.270 5.36 5 0.970 0.110 8.80 6 1.700 1.370 1.24 7 0.780 0.570 1.36 8 0.420 0.030 15.26 9 1.980 0.670 3.22 10 0.120 0.460 0.26 11 1.030 0.250 4.15 12 0.140 0.070 1.89 13 0.040 0.020 2.19 14 0.040 1.130 0.03 15 0.010 0.220 0.07 16 0.030 0.310 0.09 17 0.140 0.100 1.44 18 0.070 0.030 2.19 19 0.080 0.040 2.15 20 0.030 0.030 0.98 21 0.030 0.200 0.17 22 0.020 0.290 0.08 23 0.040 0.270 0.14 24 0.780 0.370 4.76 25 0.320 0.020 14.00 26 0.520 0.110 4.68 27 0.440 0.050 9.24 28 0.430 0.140 3.11 29 0.79 0.270 2.93 30 0.10 0.060 1.66 31 0.26 0.370 0.70 32 0.07 0.028 2.52 33 0.300 0.070 4.00 34 0.640 1.200 0.53 35 0.660 0.120 5.35 36 0.230 0.360 0.65 37 0.670 0.110 6.24 38 0.460 0.100 4.54 39 0.330 0.110 2.93 40 0.650 0.060 10.39 41 0.050 0.020 3.13 42 0.130 0.040 3.21 43 0.92 0.69 1.3 44 0.220 0.240 0.92 45 0.160 0.120 1.30 46 0.500 0.280 1.83 47 0.220 0.170 1.30 48 0.050 0.050 1.10 49 0.040 0.020 1.91 68 0.595 0.866 0.7 69 1.25 1.22 1 70 1.1 0.5 2.3 71 0.13 0.17 1 72 0.25 0.31 0.8 73 0.91 0.44 2.1 74 0.86 1.39 0.6 75 0.36 0.42 0.9 76 0.74 0.61 1.2 77 1.09 0.47 2.3 78 0.89 0.29 3 79 0.69 0.84 0.8

Example 3

Diet induced obesity (DIO) mice have long been used as surrogates for humans in the study of the efficacy of anti-obesity compounds. The results obtained from such mice in the study of obesity compounds are translatable to humans (See for example, Nilsson et al. Acta Pharmacologia Sinica 33: 173-181 (2012), which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety). Thus, DIO mice are useful surrogates for humans for the testing the efficacy of compounds intended to treat obesity.

In this example, the duration of action of several of the peptides or co-agonist peptides was evaluated in diet-induced obese (DIO) mice. The duration of action of the peptides were compared to the duration of action of Semaglutide (sema) and Liraglutide (lira). The peptides tested were SEQ ID NOs: 2, 19, 28, 29, and 33 (Seq 2, Seq 19, Seq 28, Seq 29, and Seq 33, respectively).

DIO mice were divided into groups of eight mice per group and the initial average body weight, food intake and basal glucose of each group were matched. Each group of mice was subcutaneously (sc) injected with a single dose of peptide or vehicle control. The administered doses varied between 3 and 300 nmol/kg. Body weight and food intake were measured daily for 4 days after the initial dosing. Blood glucose was measured 5 hours post dose, and then daily for 4 days. A separate set of mice were treated with same dose of each peptide. Serial blood was taken at 5 hours, 24 hours, 48 hours and 72 hours post sc injection to measure drug exposure.

FIG. 1A shows the change in body weight over four days following a single dose of peptide Seq 2, Seq 19, Seq 28, Seq 29, or Seq 33 at day zero compared to liraglutide (lira) and semaglutide (sema). The figure shows that compared to liraglutide and semaglutide, the peptides effected a more pronounced and sustained change in body weight over the four day period. As shown in the figure, the effect was particularly pronounced for peptides Seq 29 or Seq 33.

FIG. 1B shows the change in food intake over four days following a single dose of peptide Seq 2, Seq 19, Seq 28, Seq 29, or Seq 33 at day zero compared to liraglutide (lira) and semaglutide (sema). The figure shows that the peptides provided a more sustained reduction in food intake over the four day period than liraglutide or semiglutide and the sustained reduction was particularly evident with peptides Seq 29 or Seq 33.

FIG. 1C shows the blood glucose lowering effect over four days following a single dose of peptide Seq 2, Seq 19, Seq 28, Seq 29, or Seq 33 at day zero compared to liraglutide (lira) and semaglutide (sema). The figure show that peptides Seq 19, Seq 28, Seq 29, and Seq 33 effected a greater reduction in blood glucose over the four day period that either liraglutide or semiglutide. Peptides Seq29 and Seq 33 were particularly effective at effecting a greater reduction in blood glucose for a sustained period of time.

FIG. 2 shows the PK results for peptides Seq 2, Seq 19, Seq 28, Seq 29, or Seq 33 at day zero compared to liraglutide (lira) and semaglutide (sema) over three days. The figure shows that peptides Seq 19 and Seq 33 had a more prolonged PK over the three days compared to semiglutide and liraglutide.

FIG. 3A shows the change in body weight over eight days following a single dose of peptide Seq 19 at 20 nmol/kg or 60 nmol/kg at day zero compared to liraglutide (lira) and semaglutide (sema). The figure shows that compared to liraglutide and semaglutide, peptide Seq 19 effected a more pronounced and sustained change in body weight over the eight day period.

FIG. 3B shows the change in food intake over eight days following a single dose at day zero of peptide Seq 19 at 20 nmol/kg or 60 nmol/kg compared to liraglutide (lira) and semaglutide (sema). The figure shows that peptide Seq19 was comparable to liraglutide or semiglutide in reducing food intake over the eight day period.

While the present invention is described herein with reference to illustrated embodiments, it should be understood that the invention is not limited hereto. Those having ordinary skill in the art and access to the teachings herein will recognize additional modifications and embodiments within the scope thereof. Therefore, the present invention is limited only by the claims attached herein. 

1. A peptide comprising the formula (SEQ ID NO: 50) HX²QGTFTSX⁹X¹⁰SX¹²YX¹⁴DX¹⁶RAAX²⁰X²¹X²²VX²⁴WLX²⁷X²⁸TX³⁰-NH₂

wherein X² is aminoisobutyric acid (aib) or D-Ser or alpha-Methyl-L-Serine (alpha-MS); X⁹ is Asp or alpha-Methyl-L-Aspartic acid (alpha-MD); X¹⁰ is Lys conjugated to a fatty diacid or p-aminomethyl-L-phenylalanine (pAF) conjugated to a fatty diacid or Tyr; X¹² is Lys conjugated to a fatty diacid, pAF conjugated to a fatty diacid, Lys, or βc, or (1S,2S)-Fmoc-2-aminocyclopentane carboxylic acid; X¹⁴ is Leu or alpha-L-Leucine (alpha-ML); X¹⁶ is aib, Ala, or Glu; X²⁰ is Lys is conjugated to a fatty diacid, pAF conjugated to a fatty diacid, or Gln; X²¹ is Lys conjugated to a fatty diacid or pAF conjugated to a fatty diacid, Asp, or alpha-MD; X²² is Phe or alpha-Methyl-L-phenylalanine (alpha-MF); X²⁴ is Gln or βc or (1S,2S)-Fmoc-2-aminocyclopentane carboxylic acid, or Lys conjugated to a fatty diacid or pAF conjugated to a fatty diacid; X²⁷ is L-Met sulphone or Leucine; X²⁸ is Asp, or alpha-MD, or alpha-Methyl-L-Tryptophan (alpha-MW), Lys, or Ala, or Lys conjugated to a fatty diacid, or pAF conjugated to a fatty diacid; and X³⁰ is Lys linked at the C-terminus to gamma-Glu when X²⁷ is Leu and X²⁸ is Ala; with the proviso that for each co-agonist peptide, only one of X¹⁰, X¹², X²⁰, X²¹, X²⁴, or X²⁸ is conjugated to a fatty diacid.
 2. The peptide of claim 1, wherein the fatty diacid comprises a C14, C15, C16, C17, C18, C19, or C20 fatty diacid.
 3. The peptide of claim 1, wherein the peptide comprises the fatty diacid conjugated to the Lys or pAF via a gamma-Glu, gamma-Glu linker.
 4. The peptide of claim 1, wherein the peptide comprises the fatty diacid conjugated to the Lys or pAF via a PEG₂PEG₂-gamma-Glu linker wherein PEG₂ is 8-amino-3,6-dioxaoctanoic acid.
 5. The peptide of claim 1, wherein the peptide comprises at X¹⁰ the pAF conjugated to a fatty diacid or a Lys conjugated to a fatty diacid.
 6. The peptide of claim 1, wherein the peptide comprises at X¹² the pAF conjugated to a fatty diacid or a Lys conjugated to a fatty diacid.
 7. The peptide of claim 1, wherein the peptide comprises at X²⁰ the pAF conjugated to a fatty diacid or a Lys conjugated to a fatty diacid.
 8. The peptide of claim 1, wherein the peptide comprises at X²¹ the pAF conjugated to a fatty diacid or a Lys conjugated to a fatty diacid.
 9. The peptide of claim 1, wherein the peptide comprises at X²⁴ the pAF conjugated to a fatty diacid or a Lys conjugated to a fatty diacid.
 10. A peptide comprising the formula (SEQ ID NO: 51) HX²QGTFTSDX¹⁰SKYLDX¹⁶RAAQFVQWLX²⁷X²⁸TX³⁰-NH₂

wherein X² is aminoisobutyric acid (aib) or D-Ser; X¹⁰ is Lys conjugated to a C16 or C18 or C20 fatty diacid or p-aminomethyl-L-phenylalanine (pAF) conjugated to a C16 or C18 or C20 fatty diacid; X¹⁶ is aib, Ala, or Glu; X²⁷ is L-Met sulphone or Leucine; X²⁸ is Asp, Lys, or Ala; and X³⁰ is Lys conjugated to gamma-Glu when X²⁷ is Leu and X²⁸ is Ala or absent.
 11. The peptide of claim 10, wherein the peptide comprises at X¹⁰ the pAF conjugated to a C16 or C18 or C20 fatty diacid.
 12. The peptide of claim 10, wherein the peptide comprises the fatty diacid conjugated to the Lys or pAF via a gamma-Glu, gamma-Glu linker.
 13. The peptide of claim 10, wherein the peptide comprises the fatty diacid conjugated to the Lys or pAF via a PEG₂PEG₂-gamma-Glu linker wherein PEG₂ is 8-amino-3,6-dioxaoctanoic acid.
 14. A peptide comprising the formula (SEQ ID NO: 52) HX²QGTFTSDYSX¹²YLDX¹⁶RAAQDFVQWLX²⁷DT-NH₂

wherein X² is aminoisobutyric acid (aib) or D-Ser; X¹² is Lys conjugated to a C16 or C18 or C20 fatty diacid or p-aminomethyl-L-phenylalanine (pAF) conjugated to a C16 or C18 fatty diacid; X¹⁶ is aib, Ala, or Glu; and X²⁷ is L-Met sulphone or Leucine.
 15. The peptide of claim 14, wherein the peptide comprises at X¹² the Lys conjugated to a C16 or C18 or C20 fatty diacid.
 16. The peptide of claim 14, wherein the peptide comprises at X¹² the pAF conjugated to a C16 or C18 or C20 fatty diacid.
 17. The peptide of claim 14, wherein the peptide comprises the fatty diacid conjugated to the Lys or pAF via a PEG₂PEG₂-gamma-Glu linker wherein PEG₂ is 8-amino-3,6-dioxaoctanoic acid.
 18. A peptide comprising the formula (SEQ ID NO: 53) HX²QGTFTSX⁹YSX¹²YX¹⁴DX¹⁶RAAX²⁰X²¹X²²VX²⁴WX²⁶X²⁷X²⁸T-NH₂

wherein X² is aminoisobutyric acid (aib) or D-Ser; X⁹ is Asp or alpha-MD; X¹² is Lys or (1S,2S)-Fmoc-2-aminocyclopentane carboxylic acid (βc); X¹⁴ is Leu or alpha-Methyl-L-Aspartic acid (alpha-MD); X¹⁶ is aib, Ala, or Glu; X²⁹ is Lys conjugated to a C16, C17, C18, C19, or C20 fatty diacid or p-aminomethyl-L-phenylalanine (pAF) conjugated to a C16, C17, C18, C19, or C20 fatty diacid; X²¹ is Asp or alpha-MD; X²² is Phe or alpha-Methyl-L-phenylalanine (alpha-MF); X²⁴ Gln or βc; X²⁷ is L-Met sulphone or Leucine; and X²⁸ is Asp, Lys, or alpha-MD.
 19. The peptide of claim 18, wherein the peptide comprises at X²⁰ the Lys conjugated to a C16 or C18 or C20 fatty diacid.
 20. The peptide of claim 18, wherein the peptide comprises at X²⁰ the pAF conjugated to a C16 or C18 or C20 fatty diacid.
 21. The peptide of claim 18, wherein the peptide comprises the fatty diacid conjugated to the Lys or pAF via a PEG₂PEG₂-gamma-Glu linker wherein PEG₂ is 8-amino-3,6-dioxaoctanoic acid.
 22. A peptide comprising the formula (SEQ ID NO: 54) HX²QGTFTSDYSKYLDX¹⁶RAAQX²¹FVQWLX²⁷X²⁸TX³⁰-NH₂

wherein X² is aminoisobutyric acid (aib) or D-Ser; X¹⁶ is aib, Ala, or Glu; X²¹ is Lys conjugated to a C16, C17, C18, C19, or C20 fatty diacid or p-aminomethyl-L-phenylalanine (pAF) conjugated to a C16, C17, C18, C19, or C20 fatty diacid; X²⁷ is L-Met sulphone or Leucine; X²⁸ is Asp, Lys, or Ala; and X³⁰ is Lys conjugated to gamma-Glu when X²⁷ is Leu and X²⁸ is Ala.
 23. The peptide of claim 22, wherein the peptide comprises at X²¹ the Lys conjugated to a C16 or C18 or C20 fatty diacid.
 24. The peptide of claim 22, wherein the peptide comprises at X²¹ the pAF conjugated to a C16 or C18 or C20 fatty diacid.
 25. The peptide of claim 22, wherein the peptide comprises the fatty diacid conjugated to the Lys or pAF via a PEG₂PEG₂-gamma-Glu linker wherein PEG₂ is 8-amino-3,6-dioxaoctanoic acid.
 26. A peptide comprising the formula (SEQ ID NO: 80) HX²QGTFTSDYSKYLDX¹⁶RAAX²⁰X²¹FVX²⁴X²⁵LX²⁷X²⁸T-NH₂

wherein X² is aminoisobutyric acid (aib) or alpha-Methyl-L-Serine (alpha-MS); X¹⁶ is aib or Ala; X²⁰ is Gln or Lys conjugated to a C16, C17, C18, C19, or C20 fatty diacid; X²¹ is Asp or Lys conjugated to a C16, C17, C18, C19, or C20 fatty diacid or p-aminomethyl-L-phenylalanine (pAF) conjugated to a C16, C17, C18, C19, or C20 fatty diacid; X²⁴ is Gln or Lys conjugated to a C16, C17, C18, C19, or C20 fatty diacid; X²⁵ is Trp or alpha-Methyl-L-Tryptophan (alpha-MW); X²⁷ is L-Met sulphone or Leucine; and X²⁸ is Asp or alpha-Methyl-L-Aspartic acid (alpha-MD) or p-aminomethyl-L-phenylalanine (pAF) conjugated to a C16, C17, C18, C19, or C20 fatty diacid, with the proviso that one of X²⁰, X²¹, or X²⁸ is conjugated to the C16, C17, C18, C19, or C20 fatty diacid.
 27. A peptide selected from TP340, TP342, TP344, TP369, TP370, TP371, TP372, TP378, TP379, TP380, TP382, TP383, TP384, TP403, TP404, TP406, TP407, TP408, TP409, TP410, TP413, TP416, TP417, TP418, TP419, TP422, TP423, TP424, TP440, TP441, TP442, TP443, TP458, TP461, TP467, TP470, TP472, TP473, TP474, TP475, TP476, TP477, TP491, TP492, TP493, TP494, TP495, TP496, TP560, TP575, TP564, TP598, TP608, TP655, TP654, TP628, TP609, TP597, TP604, TP630, and TP640.
 28. A composition comprising one or more peptides of claim 1 and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier and/or pharmaceutically acceptable salt.
 29. A method for treating a patient for a metabolic disease or disorder comprising administering the patient an effective amount of any one or more of the peptides of claim 1 to treat the metabolic disease or disorder in the patient.
 30. The method of claim 28, wherein the metabolic disease or disorder comprises diabetes, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), or obesity.
 31. The method of claim 29, wherein the diabetes comprises Type I diabetes, Type II diabetes, or gestational diabetes.
 32. (canceled)
 33. (canceled)
 34. A method for treating a patient for a metabolic disease or disorder comprising administering the patient an effective amount of the composition of claim 27 to treat the metabolic disease or disorder in the patient.
 35. The method of claim 34, wherein the metabolic disease or disorder comprises diabetes, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), or obesity.
 36. (canceled)
 37. (canceled)
 38. (canceled)
 39. (canceled)
 40. (canceled)
 41. (canceled)
 42. (canceled)
 43. A method for treating a metabolic disease or disorder in a patient or individual comprising: administering to the patient or individual an effective amount of the composition of claim 27 and administering to the patient or individual an effective amount of a composition comprising an insulin or insulin analog to treat the metabolic disease or disorder in the patient or individual.
 44. The method of claim 43, wherein the insulin analog comprises insulin detemir, insulin glargine, insulin levemir, insulin glulisine, insulin degludec, or insulin lispro.
 45. The method of claim 43, wherein the metabolic disease or disorder comprises diabetes, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), or obesity.
 46. The method of claim 45, wherein the diabetes comprises Type I diabetes, Type II diabetes, or gestational diabetes.
 47. (canceled)
 48. A composition comprising one or more peptides of claim 1, an insulin or insulin analog, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier and/or pharmaceutically acceptable salt.
 49. The composition of claim 48, wherein the insulin analog comprises insulin detemir, insulin glargine, insulin levemir, insulin glulisine, insulin degludec, or insulin lispro. 